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FINAL RECORD: The Southwest Minnesota State University football team finished the 2004 season 5-6 overall, 3-4 NSIC, under first-year head coach Eric Eidsness.

2004 SMSU SENIORS: SMSU had nine seniors on the 2004 roster. The nine seniors include: Nick Bogenrief (OL, Delano, Minn.), Andy Brown (TE, Hutchinson, Minn.), Kiel Gangle (TE, Lake City, S.D.), Kyle Howie (PK, Ocala, Fla.), Jay Mai (QB, Hayward, Calif.), Luke Morris (WR, Plymouth, Minn.), Tommie Powell (TE, Ft. Myers, Fla.), Matt Smude (OL, Robbinsdale, Minn.) and LaTorence Williams (OL, Bradenton, Fla.).

2004 SMSU LETTERWINNERS (51): (player must appear in at least one game)
Seniors (11): Nick Bogenrief , Andy Brown, Amir Gabourel, Kiel Gangle, Kyle Howie, Jay Mai, Luke Morris, Tommie Powell, Matt Smude, Aaron Stephans and LaTorence Williams

Juniors (16): Bill Crowley, Ray Denson, Doug Faulk, Dan Garcia, Matt Gentry, Chase Hillesheim, Alvin Johnson, Julius Johnson, Darnell Jones, Kyle Morrow, Eric Oldenkamp, Anthony Price, Jamary Pyatt, Ray Vega, Bryan Wilson, Joel Wipperfurth

Sophomores (14): Kellen Driscoll, Marques Korpela, Jon Kubat, John Kunelius, Jeremy Nopens, Tony Ortmann, Brendan Osuocha, Andy Perry, Andy Schlichting, Ryan Schroeder, Sean Weathers, Mike Wierson, Alex Woolbright, Tom Yarbrough

Redshirt Freshmen (4): Ben Adams, Chad Gunnelson, Thomas Durham, Adrian Headen

Freshmen (6): Tyler Fischer, Clay Hantz, Romei Jones, Kyle Rider, Shawn Small, Ryan Wudtke,
(Joe Beehler and Eric Nennig, both played but were injured and are expected to receive medical redshirts)

TEAM CAPTAINS: Southwest Minnesota State had four players to serve as team captains in 2004. On offense, senior offensive lineman Nick Bogenrief and senior tight end Andy Brown were named captains while on defense junior linebacker Joel Wipperfurth and sophomore linebacker Jon Kubat were named.

EIDSNESS TIES SCHOOL MARK FOR BEST START BY FIRST YEAR COACH: SMSU head coach Eric Eidsness tied Ron Flowers (1997) for the best record for a first-year SMSU head coach as SMSU finished with a record of 5-6.

SMSU IN THE NCAA STATS: The SMSU defense ranks nationally in one team category while wide receiver Ray Denson and quarterback Adrian also ranked in the final national statistics. (see page 2 for complete listing)

The Coaches: Eric Eidsness finished 5-6 in his first season as SMSU head coach. Eidsness, who was named head coach on January 21, 2004, spent the previous five seasons as offensive coordinator at South Dakota State University.
Eidsness had eight assistant coaches on his 2004 staff: Atif Austin (linebackers), Butch Barry (offensive line), Jake Box (defensive line), Lyle Eidsness (running backs/special teams), Joe Ford (defensive secondary), Darin Nix (defensive backs), Mike Parks (tight ends) and Tim Steinbach (defensive coordinator).

TEAM AWARDS:
Most Valuable Player: QB, Adrian Headen, RFr., Omaha, Neb.
Offense MVP: WR, Ray Denson, Jr., Ft. Myers, Fla.
Defense MVP: SS, Kellen Driscoll, So., Waseca, Minn.
Special Teams MVP: Tyler Fischer, Fr., Gettysburg, S.D.
Scout Offense MVP: Tony Rislov, Fr., Pierre, S.D.
Scout Defense MVP: Bobby Clayborn, Fr., Dallas, Texas
Scout Special Teams MVP: Ross DeMasi, Fr., Swanton, Vt.

2004 ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS: SMSU had ten players earn All-NSIC accolades including NSIC Offensive Newcomer of the Year:
Offensive Newcomer of the Year: (QB) Adrian Headen
First Team: (WR) Ray Denson, (K) Eric Oldenkamp
Second Team: (SS) Kellen Driscoll, (P) Andy Schlichting
Honorable Mention: (KR) Julius Johnson, (DL) Bill Crowley, (LB) Bryan Wilson, (DB) Romei Jones, (LB) Jon Kubat, (QB) Adrian Headen

NSIC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: SMSU had seven players named NSIC Player of the Week in 2004, the third most in school history.
Ray Denson (Aug. 30, offensive), Thomas Durham (Sept. 6, offensive), Eric Oldenkamp (Sept. 20, special teams), Adrian Headen (Oct. 11, offensive), Andy Schlichting (Oct. 11, special teams), Kellen Driscoll (Oct. 18, defensive), Julius Johnson (Nov. 2, special teams)

ACADEMIC ALL-NSIC: SMSU had five players earn Academic All-NSIC honors: Andy Brown, Kiel Gangle, Marques Korpela, Eric Oldenkamp, Andy Schlichting

MUSTANGS DO IT on the road: Winning on the road has been difficult for Southwest Minnesota State over the years but this year has been different. SMSU finished 3-2 on the road this season, their first winning road record since 1997.
Since the program started in 1968, SMSU has had just three winning seasons on the road (1991, 1997 and now 2004).

SMSU OFFENSE THE BEST SINCE 1993, SEVENTH ALL-TIME: The SMSU offense averaged 356.3 yards per game which is the seventh best in school history and the highest for an SMSU offense since the 1993 squad finished the year averaging 420.5 yards per game.

SMSU SCORING OFFENSE: The SMSU offense averaged scoring 24.9 points per game which is the seventh best in school history and is the highest since the 2000 team averaged 28.5.

SMSU RUSHING ATTACK IMPROVED: Southwest Minnesota State averaged 160.9 yards rushing per game this season which is the highest since the 1974 team averaged 163.3 yards per game. It also is third highest in one season in school history

MUSTANG DEFENSE IMPROVES AS WELL: The SMSU defense gave up an average of 316.3 yards per game which is the lowest since 1999 when that squad gave up 257.4 yards per game. The Mustang defense also had 14 interceptions, the most since 2000 (18) and it ties for the second most in one season since the 1992 campaign.
SMSU also finished with 94 tackles for loss, the most since the 2000 team had 99 and it is the fourth highest in school history. The Mustang defense also recorded 22 sacks, the most since the 1999 season.

DRISCOLL LEADS TEAM IN DEFENSE: SMSU sophomore safety Kellen Driscoll finished the season as the team leader in tackles with 96 including a team-high 48 solo tackles.
More impressive, four times this season he was named SMSUs defensive player of the week, as selected by the SMSU coaching staff.

DENSON REACHES MILESTONE, CLOSE TO TOP FIVE: Ray Denson reached the 100 career reception plateau in the loss to Bemidji State on Oct. 2. In his career, the junior from Ft. Myers, Fla., has 131 receptions for 1,807 yards and 19 touchdowns. He needs just one more touchdown to move into fifth all-time in the SMSU record book for career receiving touchdowns with 20.

HEADEN HIGHLIGHTS: Freshman quarterback Adrian Headen, who missed the last two games with an injury, passed for 1,827 yards which was the second best by an SMSU quarterback since the 1996 season.

MUSTANGS SPECIAL TEAM SCORES TWO: Junior Joel Wipperfurth became the first SMSU player since 1995 to score a defensive two-point conversion. Wipperfurth intercepted an Augustana pass on Sept. 11 and returned it 104 yards for two points. Melvin German on Oct. 21, 1995 vs. Moorhead State was the last Mustang player to score a defensive two-point conversion.

RUNNIN WILD: SMSU rushed for over 200 yards in each of their first two games which was the first time an SMSU team has done that since games three and four of the 2002 season. With their 257 yards rushing against Minn.-Crookston on Oct. 23, SMSU reached the 200-yard plateau three times this past season.

DURHAM TIES SCHOOL RECORD: Redshirt freshman Thomas Durham tied a 30-year old record on Sept. 4 in the victory over Waldorf with four rushing touchdowns. He tied the mark set by Rich Froemling on Oct. 26, 1974 versus Michigan Tech.

SMSU RECORDS BACK-TO-BACK SHUTOUTS: The Mustang defense recorded back-to-back shutouts to open the season on Aug. 28 and Sept. 4 in victories over Peru State and Waldorf. It was the first time an SMSU defense has shutout opponents in back-to-back games since Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, 1981.

non-conference foes: SMSU, which went 2-2 in non-conference game this season, is 9-25 in their last 34 non-conference games dating back to the start of the 1995 season.