The Gustavus men’s football team has been working hard this offseason to prepare for what they hope will be a great season. After weeks of practice, the Gusties will open up the 2013 season for the second straight year against Simpson College next Saturday, Sept. 14. This year’s game will be played here at Hollingsworth field with kickoff set for 1 p.m. Last season, the Gusties began their season with a victory against Simpson and they are hopeful to repeat that outcome this year.

Training camp opened on Aug. 22 with 120 players prepared to play. The results from camp this year were said to be great for the team as a whole. On Aug. 30, the Gusties welcomed Martin Luther College to Hollingsworth Field for a scrimmage. This gave both teams a chance to see their progress on offense, defense, and special teams. According to Head Coach Peter Haugen, the scrimmage went well and the team managed to avoid any critical injuries.

There are high hopes for the Gusties this year due to their experience and depth on all sides of the ball. The team this year is full of veterans who provide leadership for the younger players. The offense will be led by a strong group of offensive-linemen and skill players who return hungry for success. Mental toughness and resilience will be keys to success for this experienced offensive group this season. The coaching staff is expecting the upperclassmen to step up and be leaders on the team, especially since there are many veterans on the offensive line.

“We need to be able to call on past experiences and learn from them so we can push through to finish drives offensively and finish the game,” Co-Offensive Coordinator Charles Cosgrove said.

The same amount of experience can be seen on the defensive side of the ball. Past experience with the playbook has proven to help eliminate some of the early mistakes often seen at the beginning of a season. Preventing injuries and playing smart will enhance this year’s defensive squad.

“As a defense, we need to stay healthy, continue to force turnovers, play sound run defense and coverage, and continue to play with confidence,” Defensive Coordinator Coach Shea said.

The Gustavus football team will be led by five senior captains. Senior captains are defensive-backs Torey Asao and Beau Bachman, running-back Jeffrey Dubose. and offensive-linemen Lyle Opdahl and David Gschneidner. All five of these captains have worked throughout the offseason in hopes of making this season one in which the team is able to accomplish their goals.

“We are all inspired by our captains’ leadership and the commitment our players made to summer training, practice and preparation,” Haugen said.

Other coaches have already been impressed with the captains’ leadership already this season.

“The [captains] were huge during camp and made a strong effort on staying positive. They made a huge commitment this offseason and it shouldn’t go unrecognized,“ Coach Cosgrove said.

Gustavus will host five games this season at Hollingsworth Field. They will play St. Olaf this year in their homecoming game. Many have high hopes and great expectations for the team this year. Be sure to check out the Gustavus football team this fall as they play for a MIAC Conference Championship.

“I only have the highest expectations this year; we really could have something special. We have the ability to compete with any team in the MIAC. We always have the goal to win the MIAC, but in order to do that, it is one game at a time, and that is Simpson,” Senior Student Coach Pat Tracy said.