Click here to view the PDF THE SEASON RECORD: Southwest Minnesota State University finished the 2005 season with a 4-7 overall record, 1-6 NSIC, tied for sixth in the Northern Sun Conference.
2005 SMSU FOOTBALL SENIORS: SMSU had ten seniors on the final 2005 roster. The 2005 seniors include: Bill Crowley (DL), Ray Denson (WR), Chase Hillesheim (RB), Alvin Johnson (OL), Julius Johnson (CB), Kyle Morrow (DL), Eric Oldenkamp (K), Anthony Price (CB), Bryan Wilson (LB) and Joel Wipperfurth (LB).
2005 SMSU LETTERWINNERS (57): (played must have appeared in at least one game)
Seniors (10): Bill Crowley (DL), Ray Denson (WR), Chase Hillesheim (RB), Alvin Johnson (OL), Julius Johnson (CB), Kyle Morrow (DL), Eric Oldenkamp (K), Anthony Price (CB), Bryan Wilson (LB) and Joel Wipperfurth (LB)
Juniors (17): Johnny Fils-Aime (OL), Joe Kruger (OL), Jon Kubat (LB), John Kunelius (DB), David Marshall (DL), Jeremy Nopens (OL), Tony Ortmann (LB), Brendan Osuocha (DL), Tyrone Oulman (DB), Blake Raun (DB), Andy Schlichting (P/WR), Ryan Schroeder (WR), Talise Simeon (CB), Marcus Thomas (RB), T.J. Watts (RB), Mike Wierson (WR), Tom Yarbrough (OL)
Sophomores (8): Ben Adams (LB), Thomas Durham (RB), Tyler Fischer (LB), Kyle Rider (TE), Shawn Small (TE), William Sutton (CB), Jason Strouf (LB), Ryan Wudtke (WR)
Redshirt Freshman (16): Thomas Brown (OL), Tim Cariveau (WR), Kyle Christensen (DL), Bobby Clayborn (LB), Ross DeMasi (WR), Matt Fischer (TE), Emmanuel Hawkins (RB), Jeremy Larson (DB), Jim Nelson (OL), Tony Rislov (QB), Korey Roethler (K), Chris Shepherd (RB), Scott Talcott (K), Brandon Welle (OL), Grant Wells (LB), Joe Wierson (LB)
Freshman (6): Tom Kolb (OL), Andy Krey (LB), Jeff Mimick (LB), Tyler Reed (FS), Josh Shudlick (QB), Quade Smith (OL)
Senior Jemaray Pyatt (LB), junior Nick Castro (DL), junior Rufus Hamilton (CB), junior William Perkins (DB), sophomore Laron Kiper (WR) all appeared in at least one game, but left program during the season. None of the players are listed on this letterwinner list.
RADIO: All SMSU football games were broadcast on KARL FM 105.1 with Aaron Ziemer handling the play-by-play.
THE HEAD COACH: Southwest Minnesota State University head coach Eric Eidsness completed his second season as head coach. In two seasons as head coach, he has compiled a record of 9-13 overall, 4-10 NSIC.
EIDSNESS HAS BEST TWO-YEAR START FOR ANY SMSU COACH: Head coach Eric Eidsness has led SMSU to nine wins in his two seasons as head coach which is the highest total ever for an SMSU head coach in his first two seasons on the sidelines. Eidsness is the ninth head coach since the program started in 1968.
2005 ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS: SMSU had a school record 12 individuals earns all-conference accolades in 2005. The Mustangs had three first team selections, three second-team picks and six honorable mention selections.
First Team (3): Ray Denson (WR), Andy Schlichting (P), Julius Johnson (DB)
Second Team(3): Bryan Wilson (LB), Kyle Morrow (DL), Ryan Schroeder (PR)
Honorable Mention (6): Jeff Mimick (LB), Jon Kubat (DL), Tyler Fischer (LB), Eric Oldenkamp (K), Jeremy Nopens (OL), Tyler Reed (DB)
TEAM AWARD WINNERS: Team awards were voted by Mustang players following the season.
Most Valuable Player: Ray Denson, WR, Senior
Offensive MVP: Chase Hillesheim, RB, Senior
Defensive MVP: Bryan Wilson, LB, Senior
Special Teams MVP: Andy Schlichting, Junior
Scout Offense MVP: Zach Wysong, RB
South Defense MVP: DeMarco Butts, DL
Scout Special Teams MVP: Kevin Wagner
SCHLICHTING NAMED ALL-REGION FIRST TEAM: SMSU junior punter was named to the 2005 Daktronics Northwest All-Region first team, becoming the first SMSU player since 2001 to be named to the Daktronics all-region team. Tight end Dan Linden was named second team in 2001 while Jason Jacobs was SMSUs last first team selection in 1999.
MORE ALL-REGION ACCOLADES: Junior punter Andy Schlichting was named D2Football.com second team all-region while senior wide receiver Ray Denson and senior cornerback Julius Johnson were both named honorable mention.
OLDENKAMP NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT: Senior kicker Eric Oldenkamp was named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic College Division All-District V second team.
The College Division District V team, which consists of student-athletes from NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA schools from the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, was selected by sports information directors in the district.
Oldenkamp was one of just 12 student-athletes from NCAA Division II schools among the 49 individuals selected either first or second team all-district.
Oldenkamp, a native of Chandler, Ariz., has compiled a 3.68 GPA while majoring in justice administration / sociology.
ACADEMIC ALL-NSIC: Southwest Minnesota State had ten players earn Academic All-NSIC honors this season. They include: Ben Adams, Tyler Fischer, Marques Korpela, John Kunelius, Eric Oldenkamp, Tony Rislov, Andy Schlichting, Brandon Welle, Grant Wells, Mike Wierson.
PUTTIN ON THE POINTS: The Mustang offense has been fairly explosive under head coach Eric Eidsness during his two seasons as a head coach. In 22 career games as head coach and offensive coordinator, SMSU has scored 30 or more points in eight games.
THE TURNOVER GAME: As everyone in football knows, winning the turnover margin against your opponent is the key to winning games each week. Southwest has proved that to be true and then some this season. SMSU began the season 3-1 and in those four games had a plus-5 ranking in turnover margin. In the last seven games (all NSIC games), which the Mustangs finished 1-6, SMSU was minus 15 in turnover margin. SMSU was even or minus in turnover margin in each of their seven games NSIC games (see chart on page 2).
DENSON IN THE SMSU RECORD BOOK: Senior wide receiver Ray Denson finished his career ranking high in several career records at SMSU. Denson finished fourth all-time in both touchdown receptions and pass receptions while he also ranking sixth in receptions yards.
He finished his career with 199 receptions, 25 receiving touchdowns and 2,691 yards receiving.
This season he became just the seventh Mustang player ever to reach 2,000 yards receiving in a career.
SINGLE SEASON DENSON: Senior Ray Denson finished with 68 receptions this season, becoming the first SMSU receiver to reach 60 receptions in one season since Preston Cunningham finished with 79 receptions in 1993.
AN OLDE, BUT GOODIE: Senior placekicker Eric Oldenkamp connected on nine field goals this season, giving him 20 in his career, which ranks him second all-time in school history.
Oldenkamp, who booted a career-long 52 yard field goal in 2004 against Peru State (Neb.), connected on a season-long 51-yard field goal in a week ten loss to Concordia.
THREE MUSTANGS EARN NSIC WEEKLY HONORS: SMSU had three players earn conference player of the week honors this season. SMSU junior defensive tackle Jon Kubat was named leagues defensive player of the week on August 29, while freshman Tyler Reed earned the award on Oct. 24. Junior Mike Wierson was named special teams player of the week on Sept. 19.
SMSU WILL TRY AGAIN NEXT YEAR: With their 4-7 record this season, SMSU has now only recorded seven winning seasons in the programs 37 years. The last Mustang team to finish with a winning record was in 1999 when SMSU finished 6-5.
RED ZONE NUMBERS: The Southwest offense finished 21 of 29 (72.4%) for the season when reaching the opponents red zone. SMSU ended the season scoring 14 touchdowns and seven field goals when moving the ball inside the opponents 20-yard line.
SMSU opponents finished the season 26 of 37 (70.3%) with 22 touchdowns and four field goals when they moved the ball inside the SMSU 20-yard line.
SMSU AGAINST THE RUN: The SMSU defense has held opponents to under 100 yards rushing six times since the start of the 2004 season and has held opponent to 108 yards or less in eight games since the start of last season (22 games).
This past season the SMSU defense held opponents to 145 yards rushing or less in five of the 11 games.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN...: SMSU finished 2-3 in road games this season after finishing 3-2 on the road in 2004. Last season was the programs first road winning season since 1997. Since the program started in 1968, SMSU has had just three winning seasons on the road. (1991, 1997 and 2004).
YOUNG PLAYERS COME THROUGH: Southwest Minnesota State had several new faces make major impacts this season. SMSU used 31 new players this season, including 19 who were redshirt freshmen or true freshman.
True freshman defensive back Tyler Reed lead the team with 72 tackles while true sophomore linebacker Tyler Fischer finished third with 58 tackles. True freshman linebacker Jeff Mimick tied for the team lead in quarterback sacks with 5.0.
2005 STAT TIDBITS: SMSU averaged 3.54 yards per rush, the ninth best in school history ... SMSU had 19 passes intercepted, the tenth most in one season ... SMSUs nine field goals tied for the second most in one season ... the SMSU defense had 15 interceptions, the most since 2000 (18) and the 11th highest in school history ... SMSU had 74 tackles for loss, ranking fifth in school history ... SMSU had 30 sacks, the fourth most in school history and the highest since the 1999 season ... Ray Densons 68 receptions ranks 10th in single-season school history ... Eric Oldenkamps nine field goals was tied for the second most in single-season history.
SCHLICHTING SETS SCHOOL RECORD: Junior punter Andy Schlichting set a school single season record with a 40.8 punt average. He broke the previous record of 40.4 held by Joe Driscoll in 1969.
MUSTANGS SPECIAL TEAMS SCORE TWO TOUCHDOWNS: The SMSU special teams blocked two punts for touchdowns in the victory over Upper Iowa on Sept. 17. Mike Wierson recovered both punts for touchdowns.
SMSU IN THE NATIONAL STATS: SMSU ranks high in several categories, while a handful of individuals also rank high in the NCAA national statistics through Dec. 3. (see chart on page 1)
DONT GIVE UP, DONT EVER GIVE UP!: A trademark of SMSU football under coach Eidsness is the team never quits. The Aug. 27, victory over Jamestown marked the third time during the Eidsness era that SMSU won a game when trailing at halftime. Prior to last season, the last time an SMSU team when trailing at halftime was in 1999 versus MSU Moorhead.
TEAM CAPTAINS: Four players were named team captains for the 2005 season as selected by the SMSU players in fall camp. Senior Ray Denson and junior Jeremy Nopens were named offensive team captains while junior Jon Kubat and senior Bill Crowley have been named defensive team captains.
SMSU IN THE NON-CONFERENCE: Since the start of the 1995 season, SMSU is 14-25 during non-conference action ... seven of those wins though have come since the 2003 season ... SMSU is 5-3 in non-conference games under coach Eidsness.
DENSON EARNS PRESEASON HONOR: SMSU wide receiver Ray Denson was named this fall to the d2football.com All-Northwest Region preseason second team. Following last season, Denson was named all-region honorable mention by d2football.com.
MUSTANGS AT MATTKE: Southwest Minnesota State is 74-87-1 all-time in games played at Mattke Field, which opened for play in 1971 ... SMSU has struggled at home in recent years ... SMSU hasnt had a winning home season since the 1994 team finished 3-0.
