Division III football. Yes, there is not nearly the talent level that consists in every Division I program. However, that doesn’t make the football any less exciting. Similar to the SEC in Division I, there are a few teams who are consistently at the top of the rankings year in and year out, most notably, Mt. Union of Alliance, Ohio. Mt. Union has been the most dominant program of Division III since 2000. In that 13-year span the Purple Raiders have won seven national titles, including last season, and has produced NFL receivers, Pierre Garcon and Cecil Shorts. However, after this long stretch of dominance, storied head coach, Larry Kehres, retired in May. Kehres had been the coach at Mt. Union since 1986, and finished his career with a record of 332-24-3, including a streak of 110 straight wins in the regular season. Kehres carries with him an unchallenged NCAA record of 21 unbeaten regular seasons.
Will Kehres’ retirement allow a new team to take over as the new dominant program? Wisconsin-Whitewater also won four national titles in that same 13-year span. St. Thomas has been dominant the past few years, as has Mary Hardin-Baylor. Will one of these teams take the reigns? Or will Kehres’ son, Vince, be able to carry on the legacy and help continue the culture of dominance and winning? 2013 is building up to be a very exciting year in Division III, so how will it unfold?
Preseason Top 10
1. St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN)
St. Thomas was the National Runner-up to Mt. Union College. However, this year, the Tommies return 16 starters and will be looking to avenge last season’s heartbreak.
2. Mt. Union (Alliance, OH)
The Purple Raiders enter the 2013 season as defending Stagg Bowl champions after winning their first Division III title since 2008. They will likely face a bumpy start to the season, as quarterback Kevin Burke is the only player returning on offense. However, the biggest loss the team suffered is the retirement of head coach, Larry Kehres. His son, Vince Kehres, will take over coaching duties after spending eight years as the team’s defensive coordinator.
3. Linfield (McMinnville, OR)
Linfield looks to build on last season’s efforts, where they finished 32nd in total offense and 35th in total defense. The best part? They return their entire defense, which as a unit, led all of Division III with 63 sacks.
4. Hardin-Simmons (Abilene, TX)
Hardin-Simmons had the 2nd best offense in Division III last year. While they have a new quarterback in freshman Evan Abbe, they return running back, Jessie Ramos, who scored 10 touchdowns last season.
5. Wesley (Dover, DE)
The Wolverines will be led on offense by receiver Steve Koudossou, who led the team last year with 51 receptions, 747 yards and 10 touchdowns. The defense returns two key players: linebacker Sothsene Kapepula and defensive back Leon Jones, who has compiled eight interceptions the past two seasons.
6. Wisconsin-Whitewater (Whitewater, WI)
After finishing 2011 with a 15-0 record and a National Title, the Warhawks looked to repeat in 2012. Unfortunately for them, Mt. Union, in Coach Kehres’ last season, took the crown. They enter 2013 with high hopes to regain their crown, led by receiver Tyler Huber and defensive back Noah Timm.
7. Wittenburg (Springfield, OH)
Wittenberg will be led by quarterback Reed Florence who led the Tigers to an impressive 37 points per game last season and took them to the second round of the Division III playoffs. Florence was the leading source of offense, with a total of 3,304 yards (2,819 passing, 485 rushing) and 35 touchdowns (28 passing, seven rushing), and will continue to be that source this season as Wittenberg looks to go deep into the playoffs.
8. Mary Hardin-Baylor (Belton, TX)
After an impressive 2012 season, going undefeated until they lost in a National Semifinals loss to Mt. Union, Mary Hardin-Baylor will look to rebound and get a shot at the National Title. The defense will be anchored by defensive tackle, Silvio Diaz. The offense will have a new look, with a lot of the top players graduated. The team will lean on top returning rusher, Elijah Hudson (740 yards).
9. Wisconsin-Oshkosh (Oshkosh, WI)
Though the Titans lost their quarterback, Nate Wara, to graduation, they return two key players on offense: running back Cole Myhra and wide receiver Caleb Voss. Myhra led the ground game last year, finishing 2012 with 1,589 yards and 16 touchdowns. Voss led all Oshkosh receivers with 68 receptions, 1,333 yards and 13 touchdowns.
10. North Central (Naperville, IL)
North Central will be led by its defense, a unit that returns seven starters. The leader of the defense will be safety Shane Dierking, who led the team in 2012 with four interceptions. The offense will likely move through senior receiver Chad O’Kane, who had a team high 547 receiving yards in 2012.
The Best of the Rest
11. Johns Hopkins (Baltimore, MD)
12. Hobart (Geneva, NY)
13. Bethel (Mishawaka, IN)
14. Wisconsin-Platteville (Platteville, WI)
15. Pacific Lutheran (Tacoma, WA)
16. Widener (Chester, PA)
17. Central (Iowa) (Pella, IA)
18. Franklin (Franklin, IN)
19. Baldwin-Wallace (Berea, OH)
20. Washington & Jefferson (Washington, PA)
21. Cortland State (Cortland, NY)
22. Salisbury (Salisbury, MD)
23. University of the Redlands (Redlands, CA)
24. Heidelberg (Tiffin, OH)
25. Elmhurst (Elmhurst, IL)
Championship Prediction: St. Thomas defeats Wisconsin-Whitewater in the Stagg Bowl
Offensive Player of the Year: Kevin Burke, Mt. Union
Defensive Player of the Year: Sosthene Kapepula, Wesley
Coach of the Year: Glenn Caruso, St. Thomas