CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa --- Wartburg College, which won its second straight Iowa Conference title with a perfect 7-0 league mark and advanced to the third round of the 2014 NCAA Division III Football Championship under the direction of 2014 D3football.com West Region Coach of the Year Rick Willis, is the unanimous pick of the conference coaches to win the 2015 Iowa Conference football crown. The Knights received all seven available first-place votes (coaches cannot vote for their own teams) for 56 points.
 
Central College received Wartburg’s first-place vote and was named second on six ballots for 50 points to rank second, while Coe College edged the University of Dubuque, 43-38, for third place. The Kohawks received two second-place votes, four third-place votes and a fourth-place vote. The Spartans received four third-place votes, two fourth-place votes and a fifth-place vote.
 
The complete 2015 IIAC Football Coaches’ Poll follows.
 

Rank	School (1st place votes)	Points	2014 Record
1	Wartburg (7)	56	12-1 overall, 7-0 IIAC
2	Central (1)	50	8-2 overall, 6-1 IIAC
3	Coe	43	5-5 overall, 4-3 IIAC
4	Dubuque	38	4-6 overall, 3-4 IIAC
5	Luther	26	5-5 overall, 2-5 IIAC
6	Loras	23	3-7 overall, 2-5 IIAC
T7	Buena Vista	22	5-5 overall, 4-3 IIAC
T7	Simpson	22	3-7 overall, 0-7 IIAC

 
2015 Schedule:  The 2015 schedule opens Friday, September 4 with Luther traveling to Wisconsin-La Crosse. The rest of the conference begins play on Saturday, September 5, with Coe hosting Wheaton (Ill.), Buena Vista visiting Wisconsin-Platteville, Dubuque plays at Saint John’s (Minn.), Loras ventures to Elmhurst and Wisconsin-River Falls visits Simpson in afternoon games. Two Saturday season-openers will be played under the lights as Central hosts Benedictine (Ill.) and Wartburg hosts Augsburg in the annual “Battle of the ‘Burgs.”.
 
The 2015 Iowa Conference schedule opens October 3 with Buena Vista at Simpson, Coe at Loras, Luther at Dubuque and Central at Wartburg.
 
Preseason Poll: Wartburg is ranked sixth in the D3football.com and Lindy’s Preseason Polls and ninth in The Sporting News Division III Preseason Top 25.
 
Preseason All-Americans: Wartburg senior quarterback Logan Schrader was named to the D3football.com and Lindy’s Preseason All-America first teams, while Wartburg senior linebacker Gunner Tranel received preseason all-america notice from The Sporting News.
 
Team-By-Team Preview:  A brief preview for each Iowa Conference team follows.
 

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  Head Coach: Jay Anderson (10th year at Buena Vista, 38-52 overall [9 years])
Starters returning/lost:  8/4 offense, 7/5 defense, 1/0 special teams
Letterwinners returning/lost:  27/15
Iowa Conference Titles (last):  4 (1978)
NCAA Playoff Appearances (Last/Result): 2 (1986; lost to Central 37-0 in first round)
 
Buena Vista returns 16 starters and 27 letterwinners from last year’s 5-5 team that tied for third in the Iowa Conference with a 4-3 mark.
 
The Beavers’ offense will need to regroup after losing four all-IIAC selections at the skill positions. The cupboard is not bare, however. Whoever is tasked with replacing all-league first-team quarterback Bobby Brown will have a pair of very capable receivers at his disposal. Senior wide receiver Ben Seitz, a 2014 all-IIAC honorable mention, hauled in 65 passes for 828 yards and eight touchdowns. He ranked 29th in Junior wideout Jalen Henningsen, an all-conference second-teamer last season in 2013, returns after missing last season due to an injury. Henningsen caught 43 passes for 748 yards and seven touchdowns in 2013.
 
The entire starting offensive line from last year also returns. Leading the way will be senior Travis Munn, an all-IIAC first-teamer last season. He will anchor an offensive line that helped the Beavers rank second among IIAC schools in total offense last season (442.1 ypg). Buena Vista allowed 16 sacks in 10 games last season.
 
On defense, Buena Vista returns three of four starting defensive backs from 2014. Senior strong safety Kyle Arnold ranked fifth on the team in tackles with 52 (36 solo) while also contributing 1.0 tackles-for-loss, five pass break-ups and a pair of fumble recoveries. Sophomore cornerback Nick Amundson posted 33 tackles (26 solo) in nine games with 1.0 tackle for loss, two pass break-ups and one forced fumble.
 
Up front, senior defensive lineman Beau Van Wechel tied for third on the team with 60 tackles (27 solo) with 6.0 tackles-for-loss, 5.0 sacks, one quarterback hurry, one forced fumble and one blocked kick.
 
Another key for Buena Vista is the return of all-purpose kicker Tyler Stolen. Stolen, a junior, earned first-team all-IIAC honors as both a punter and placekicker as a freshman and second-team honors at punter and honorable mention at placekicker last season. He made nine of 12 field goals with a long of 30 yards and was 34-of-39 on extra points. Stolen also averaged 37.7 yards per punt and 57.8 yards per kickoff last season with 14 touchbacks. He placed seven punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and had five longer than 50 yards.
 
Head Coach Jay Anderson says, “We're excited for the 2015 season. We want to see improvement week to week as we work through our schedule. I think it will be an exciting fall once again in the IIAC.”

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Head Coach: Jeff McMartin (12th year at Central, 87-29 overall [11 years])
Starters returning/lost:  4/7 offense, 5/6 defense, 1/2 special teams
Letterwinners returning/lost: 42/23
Iowa Conference Titles (last): 30 (2009)
NCAA Playoff Appearances (Last/Result): 20 (2009; lost to Mary Hardin-Baylor 42-40 in first round)
 
Central returns 10 starters and 42 letterwinners from last year’s 8-2 team that finished second the IIAC with a 6-1 record. The Dutch return five starters on defense, including a trio of linebackers -- inside backer Jessie Peterson and outside backers Drew Carlson and Mitch Schroeder. Peterson led Central with 80 tackles (33 solo) with 2.5 tackles-for-loss, 1.0 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. He tied for 10th among IIAC players in tackles. Carlson, a second-team all-IIAC pick last season, was second on the team with 71 tackles (33 solo) 1.0 tackle for loss, one interception, one quarterback hurry and one blocked kick. He tied for 14th among league players. Schroder, who missed much of last season due to injury, posted a team-high 79 tackles in 2013.
 
Junior defensive back Tony Oros was limited to just five games last season but he posted 21 tackles (12 solo) with 2.5 tackles for loss and one pass break-up.
 
Up front, senior defensive lineman Dustin Smith is back after picking up 19 tackles (seven solo), 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one pass break-up and one forced fumble.
 
The Dutch ranked second among IIAC schools in all four primary defensive categories: total defense (303.3 ypg), rushing defense (133.5 ypg), pass defense (169.8 ypg) and scoring defense (15.6 ppg) and was tied for second in interceptions (15). Central led all IIAC schools in turnover margin (+12) and red-zone defense (56.7 percent)
 
Central will need to rebuild an offense that lost seven starters. The Dutch will be led by sophomore wide receiver Sam Markham, who received all-IIAC honorable mention as a freshman last season. Markham led all Central receivers with 52 catches for 650 yards and three touchdown. Among IIAC players, he ranked fifth in receptions per game (5.8) and seventh in yards per game (72.2). Junior tight end Mitchell Boerm ranked fourth on the team with 14 catches for 138 yards.
 
The offensive line returns two starters -- senior left tackle Nick Watson and junior center Josh Brunk -- from a unit that ranked second among IIAC schools in scoring offense (35.1 points per game) and third in rushing offense (209.6 yards per game) while allowing a conference-low six sacks.
 
Senior return specialist Taylor Cox averaged 5.8 yards per punt return (18 for 104) and 21.0 yards per kickoff return (15-for-315) last season.
 
Head Coach Jeff McMartin says, “We are excited to compete against some great teams this fall. We have a lot of work to do. Our goal is to improve each week.”

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Head Coach: Steve Staker (Eighth year at Coe, 51-23 overall [7 years])
Starters returning/lost: 4/7 offense, 4/7 defense, 1/1 special teams
Letterwinners returning/lost: 26/30
Iowa Conference Titles (last): 4 (2012)
NCAA Playoff Appearances (Last/Result): 8 (2012; lost to Elmhurst 27-24 in first round)
 
Coe returns nine starters and 26 letterwinners from last year’s 5-5 team that tied for third in the conference with a 4-3 league mark.
 
The Kohawk offense will be led by a host of returning skill position players behind a largely rebuilt offensive line. Senior signal-caller Josh Rekers is back after completing 61.0 percent (197-of-323) of his passes for 2,590 yards and 21 touchdowns while directing the league’s No. 2 pass offense (288.6 ypg). He ranked second among IIAC quarterbacks in yards per game (259.0) and third in total offense (256.1 ypg). His favorite target was junior Trevor Heitland, who hauled in 42 passes for 564 yard and five scores. Heitland also ranked 10th among IIAC players in receptions per game (4.2) and receiving yards per game (56.4). He also averaged 25.4 yards per kick return. Also back is senior Elijah Phillips, who had 21 catches for 249 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Coe’s ground game will be built around senior running backs Sam Lahr and Colton Storla. Lahr led the team in rushing with 785 yards on 165 carries with eight touchdowns, ranking sixth among IIAC players in rushing yards, seventh in all-purpose yards (106.8 ypg), and eighth in scoring among non-kickers (5.4 ppg). He also caught 30 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown. Storla ran for 357 yards in nine games and added seven catches for 87 yards.
 
Defensively, junior defensive back Dylan Stepleton earned second-team all-IIAC honors last season after picking off a team-high five passes, tied for second among all IIAC players. He ranked tied for fifth on the team in tackles with 52 (33 solo) while making 2.0 tackles for loss and breaking up eight passes - a number good for third in the league.
 
Senior Mark Atwater leads the linebacking corps after posting 48 tackles (17 solo), 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, three quarterback hurries and two fumble recoveries in just eight games.
 
Leading the push on the defensive line will be sophomores Robbie Peters and Drew Heitland. Peters was limited to six games but made 16 tackles (five solo), 0.5 sacks and one quarterback hurry. Heitland played in only three games a year ago, posting seven tackles (four solo), 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one pass break-up, two quarterback hurries and one forced fumble.
 
Coe will also benefit from the return of Brandon Abbas at placekicker. Abbas, a junior, was 5-of-6 on field goals and 34-of-35 on extra points last season. He made four field goals in last season’s finale against Buena Vista. Abbas also had 12 kickoffs, averaging 56.7 yards per attempt with one touchback.
 
Head Coach Steve Staker says, “With veterans and experience at key positions we feel we can be in the hunt. offensively we have some weapons. Our ‘O’ line has the potential, so we will see how they progress.
 
“Defensively I feel our defensive line will be our strong point with size and quickness, the secondary has experience so are looking for them to be much improved over last year. Our big question mark will be at linebacker and how well they develop.
 
“I feel our kicking/punting game will much improved.”

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Head Coach: Stan Zweifel (Seventh year at Dubuque, 64-55-2 [11 years])
Starters returning/lost:  7/4 offense, 6/5 defense, 2/0 special teams
Letterwinners returning/lost:  45/22
Iowa Conference Titles (last): 7 (2011)
NCAA Playoff Appearances (Last/Result): 3 (2011; lost to North Central [Ill.], 59-13, in first round)
 
Dubuque returns 15 starters and 45 letterwinners from last year’s 4-6 team that finished fifth in the IIAC with a 3-4 record.
 
A corps of returning linebackers will play key roles for UD as they work to get back into the top half of the IIAC standings. Trevor Stauner and Blaine Snitker, both seniors, topped the century mark in tackles last season. Stauner, an all-IIAC second-teamer, led all IIAC players with 123 stops. He also had 7.5 tackles for loss (10th among IIAC players), 2.0 sacks, three pass break-ups, three quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Snitker, a two-time first-team all-IIAC selection, had 104 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, two pass break-ups, four quarterback hurries, a league-best three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He ranked fourth among IIAC players in total tackles, tied for 13th in sacks per game (0.25). Among national leaders, Stauner ranked seventh in tackles per game, while Snitker was 41st.
 
The line will be anchored by senior Zack Marotta. Marotta, an all-IIAC second-team selection last year, posted 45 tackles with 7.0 for loss, 2.0 sacks, one interception, one pass break-up, three quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.
 
Roaming the defensive backfield will be senior Oscar White. White, an all-IIAC first-teamer in 2014, had 43 tackles (32 solo) with 1.0 for loss, four interceptions and 14 pass break-ups. His 18 passes defended ranked second among IIAC players as an aggregate total, but led all players (and ranked eighth nationally) on a per-game basis (1.8).
 
The Spartans will lean on senior offensive linemen Dominic Ravenell and Tanner Bronkema early on as they break in a new quarterback. Ravenell is a two-time all-Iowa Conference selection, while Bronkema received honorable mention from the coaches last season.
 
Senior wide receiver Chris Bagley, a second-team all-IIAC pick last year as a second option to all-American Tyler Rutenbeck, finished second on the team in receiving with 48 catches for 575 yards and three touchdowns. He ranked eighth among IIAC receivers in receptions per game (4.8) and ninth in receiving yards per game (57.5).
 
Placekicker Curtis Prull, a second-team all-IIAC pick last season, finished the year a perfect 9-of-9 on field goals and was 24-of-25 on extra points. He ranked fourth among IIAC kickers in scoring (5.7 ppg).
 
Head Coach Stan Zweifel says, “For UD to compete in the IIAC, we must develop depth from the incoming freshman and a handful of transfers. Wartburg appears to be the early favorite, but I expect Coe, Central and other teams to challenge for the title.”

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Head Coach: Steve Helminiak (Third year at Loras, 18-42 overall [7 years])
Starters returning/lost: 7/4 offense, 9/2 defense, 5/0 special teams
Letterwinners returning/lost: 70/29
Iowa Conference Titles (last): 0 (n/a)
NCAA Playoff Appearances (Last/Result): 0 (n/a)
 
Loras returns 21 starters and 70 letterwinners from last year’s 3-7 team that tied for sixth in the conference with a 2-5 mark.
 
The Duhawks return a significant amount of experience on the offensive side of the football, led by senior wide receiver Nate Even. Even, a second-team all-league pick last year, had 77 catches for 1,288 yards and 11 touchdowns. He led all IIAC receivers in receptions per game (7.7) and yards per game (128.8), and ranked fourth in all-purpose yards (128.8) and seventh in scoring (6.6 ppg). Even also ranked fifth in Division III in yards per game, seventh in total receiving yardage and 15th in receptions per game. He will be joined in the receiving corps by junior Danny Willis, who had 22 catches for 254 yards. Willis also had an impact on special teams, being named second-team all-conference after averaging 23.8 yards per kickoff return a year ago.
 
The ground game will be built around senior running back Nate Carrier. Carrier, who earned first-team all-league honors as a freshman in 2012, split carries with Calvin Smith a year ago. Limited to only eight games, he accumulated 474 yards and two touchdowns on 131 attempts, ranking eighth among IIAC rushers in yards per game (59.2).  Carrier also hauled in 14 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown.
 
Senior offensive lineman Ryan Rolfes anchors an offensive line that ranked third in the league in passing offense last season (268.8 ypg).
 
Defensively, Loras will be led by junior linebacker Calvin Harridge. Harridge, an all-IIAC honorable mention last season, posted a team-high 117 tackles (67 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He ranked second among IIAC players and 14th nationally in tackles per game (11.7). Junior outside backer Damon Davies added 49 stops (31 solo) with 11.0 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks and two pass break-ups. He ranked third among IIAC players in sacks and fourth in tackles per game. Davies also returned a fumble 70 yards for a touchdown against Buena Vista.
 
Sophomore cornerback Maurice Young made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2014. Named honorable mention by the coaches after the season, he had 43 tackles (35 solo) with 1.0 tackles for loss, a team-high five interceptions, seven pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. He returned one interception 53 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 27-24 win at Simpson, essentially putting the game out of reach. Among IIAC players, he ranked second in interceptions and fourth in passes defended (12).
 
Up front, sophomore Liam Kirwin returns after posting 17 tackles (10 solo) with 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
 
Sophomore placekicker Mason Quigley returns after going a perfect 20-for-20 on extra points and hitting seven of 12 field goals. He also handled kickoff duties for most of the season, averaging 51.2 yards per attempt with one touchback. Sophomore punter Jeremy Peters averaged 34.4 yards per attempt last season with one touchback and 10 kicks inside the 20. He also had three kicks of over 50 yards. Sophomore defensive back Keshaun Smith fielded five kickoffs last season, averaging 28.8 yards per return. He returned one kick 90 yards for a touchdown in a 22-20 win over Luther on November 8.
 
Head Coach Steve Helminiak says, “The IIAC should prove, once again, to be a very tough and competitive conference. This is an exciting time of year and we are eager to see our players, returners and newcomers, build upon last season.”

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Head Coach: Aaron Hafner (Third year at Luther, 7-13 overall [2 years])
Starters returning/lost: 7/4 offense, 8/3 defense, 2/0 special teams
Letterwinners returning/lost: 38/17
Iowa Conference Titles (last): 11 (1978)
NCAA Postseason Appearances (Last/Result): 2 (1970; lost to Capital [Ohio] 34-21 in Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl)
 
Luther returns 17 starters and 38 letterwinners from last year’s team that went 5-5 overall and tied for sixth place in the IIAC with a 2-5 mark.
 
The Norse return experienced starters on all three levels of the defense. Up front, seniors Sean Guerra and Dan Wheelock return. Guerra received honorable mention from the IIAC coaches last season after making 42 tackles (17 solo) with 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and a fumble recovery. Wheelock played in only five games, making 11 stops (five solo) with 2.0 for loss, 2.0 sacks and two pass break-ups. At linebacker, senior Aric Elton returns. Elton, a 2014 all-IIAC second teamer, registered a team-high 89 tackles (47 solo) last season with 4.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions, three pass break-ups and two forced fumbles. Among IIAC players, he tied for seventh in total tackles.
 
In the defensive backfield, senior Cody Berger and sophomore Luke Pulliam will pull much of the weight. Berger posted 42 tackles (32 solo), picked off a pass and broke up four others last season. Pulliam had 26 tackles (18 solo) with a team-best three interceptions and five pass break-ups. He ranked sixth among IIAC players in interceptions and tied for 12th in passes defended per game (0.80).
 
On offense, Luther’s triple-option attack will need to find a new 1-2 punch with the graduation of quarterback J.J. Sirios and running back Josh Vos, but will benefit greatly from the return of all five starting offensive lineman. Of that group, junior right tackle James Ostlie earned second team all-IIAC honors, while right guard Tyler Moon received honorable mention.
 
At the skill positions, junior running back Christian Moore will be looked at to step in for the departed Vos. Moore ran for 400 yards and three touchdowns last season, averaging 44.1 yards per game. Senior wide receiver Jon Cochrane has proven to be an effective go-to receiver in the event the Norse opt to pass. Cochrane caught a team-high seven passes for 79 yards and a touchdown last season. 
 
Berger, Pulliam and Cochrane also figured into the return game for the Norse. Berger averaged 6.3 yards per punt return last season, while Pulliam averaged 24.4 yards and Cochrane 11.7 yards per kickoff return, respectively. Cochrane also handled punting duties for Luther, averaging 34.8 yards per attempt.
 
Head Coach Aaron Hafner says, “Our players have worked really hard this offseason in preparation for the 2015 season. We will be improved in many areas of our football team. This will be a fun group of young men to coach because they have bought into our philosophy and culture we have developed over the past few years. Our schedule will be very challenging with four out of first five games on the road.
 
“The conference will be very challenging again in 2015. Wartburg will be the team to beat. They have several returning starters coming back from a quarterfinal team in 2014. Several teams played a lot of young players last year, so every Saturday will be very competitive. There are some great matchups early in the season that will be fun to watch as the conference race develops. The teams that can stay healthy and win the turnover battle on Saturdays will rise to the top.”

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Head Coach: Jim Glogowski (Eighth year at Simpson, 33-37 overall [7 years])
Starters returning/lost:  8/3 offense, 6/5 defense, 2/1 special teams
Letterwinners returning/lost:  40/22
Iowa Conference Titles (last): 12 (1997)
NCAA Playoff Appearances (Last/Result): 6 (2003; lost to St. Norbert 26-20 [2OT] in first round)
 
Simpson returns 16 starters and 40 letterwinners from last year’s squad that finished 3-7 overall and eighth in the IIAC with an 0-7 record.
 
The most experienced group is on the offensive line, where the Storm return all five starters, including all-IIAC picks Corey Meyer and Blake Bergstrom. Meyer is a two-time all-league selection, being named to the second team in 2013 and first team in 2014. Bergstrom earned second-team honors in 2013.
 
Junior running back Jordan Beem should get the bulk of the carries again this year. An all-IIAC honorable mention last season, he ran for 516 yards on 124 carries with three touchdowns in just nine games and hauled in 14 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown. Beem also saw time as a kick returner last season, earning second-team all-IIAC honors. He averaged 16.4 yards per kick return and 8.9 yards per punt return for the Storm. Among IIAC  players, Beem was fifth in all-purpose yards (113 ypg) and ninth in rushing yads per game (57.3).
 
Helping to create holes for Beem will be senior fullback Julius Foster. Foster had just one carry for no gain last year, but had nine catches for 57 yards.
 
Fifth-year seniors Nate Connealy and Clay Finley have been named team captains. Connealy, an all-IIAC honorable mention wide receiver, played in just four games last season with five catches for 70 yards.
 
Finley, a second-team all-IIAC defensive lineman in 2013, also played in just four games, making 14 tackles (nine solo) with 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one pass break-up, three quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. Both fifth-year seniors, Connealy and Finley each received an additional year of eligibility due to a medical hardship waiver.
 
The Storm will also be led defensively by senior linebackers Shane Venteicher and Mike Pavon. Venteicher ranked second on the team last season with 66 tackles (25 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, four pass break-ups, one quarterback hurry, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Pavon missed all of last season due to an injury. He appeared in five varsity games in 2013, making four total tackles.
 
Sophomore placekicker Drew Jensen was Simpson’s top scorer last season. An all-IIAC honorable mention, he was 19-of-19 on extra points and converted five of seven field goal attempts.
 
Head Coach Jim Glogowski says, “The conference is going to be extremely competitive as usual. Our guys are excited to get going. We look forward to the process of getting better each day.”

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Head Coach: Rick Willis (17th year at Wartburg, 140-35 overall [16 years])
Starters returning/lost:  7/4 offense, 7/4 defense, 2/0 special teams
Letterwinners returning/lost:  44/19
Iowa Conference Titles (last):  14 (2014)
NCAA Playoff Appearances (Last/Result): 11 (2014; beat St. Thomas [Minn.] 37-31 in first round, beat Saint John’s [Minn.] 21-10 in second round, lost to Wisconsin-Whitewater 37-33 in quarterfinals)
 
Wartburg returns 16 starters and 44 letterwinners from last year’s squad that finished 12-1 overall with a perfect 7-0 record in IIAC play and lost a heartbreaker to eventual national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater in the national semifinals.
 
For the third straight year, the Knights’ offense will be under the direction of quarterback Logan Schrader. Schrader, last year’s Iowa Conference Offensive MVP and a second-team D3football.com all-region player, threw for 3,187 yards and 30 touchdowns while completing 60.6 percent (198-327) of his passes. He also ran for 465 yards and seven scores. Among IIAC players, Schrader ranked second in total offense (280.9 yards per game), third in passing yards per game (245.2) and fifth in passing efficiency (169.6). He ranked fourth in Division III in passing yards per completion (16.10), fifth in yards per attempt (9.75), 10th in passing efficiency (169.6), 13th in passing yards and 16th in passing touchdowns.
 
Senior running back Brandon Domeyer, a two-time second-team all-IIAC pick and a third-team all-region player last year, will see significant carries as well. In 2014, he ran the ball 223 times for 1,212 yards and 19 touchdowns. Domeyer also had six catches for 80 yards. Domeyer ranked fourth among IIAC players in rushing (93.2 ypg) and scoring (8.8 ppg) and ninth in all-purpose yards (99.4 ypg). His 19 rushing touchdowns ranked sixth in Division III while his yardage total ranked 27th.
 
While Taylor Jacobsmeyer – Schrader’s favorite target a year ago – has graduated, senior Robbie Anstoetter is back after hauling in 38 passes for 607 yards and 10 touchdowns. Anstoetter also earned second-team all-league honors a year ago.
 
Senior Chase Wilhelms, an all-IIAC first-teamer last season, leads an offensive line group charged with making sure Schrader has the proper amount of time to run the offense.
 
As is the case in many places around the IIAC, Wartburg returns a fair amount of experience and leadership in the middle of the defense in the form of senior linebackers Gunner Tranel and Will Janssen. Tranel, a second-team all-league pick in 2014, was Wartburg’s leading tackler a year ago by a wide margin, finishing with 123 stops (74 solo), 11.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three pass break-ups and a forced fumble. He ranked sixth among IIAC players in tackles per game (9.5), third in tackles for loss and 18th in sacks. Janssen, an all-IIAC first-teamer and a D3football.com all-region third-teamer, ranked third on the team with 87 tackles (43 solo) with 6.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, four pass break-ups and a fumble recovery. He ranked 17th in tackles (6.7 per game) and tackles for loss and 20th in sacks.
 
In the defensive backfield, all-IIAC first-teamer Logan Pitz returns. Pitz, a senior, had 34 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and team-highs with three interceptions and 17 passes broken up. He also forced a fumble. Pitz led all IIAC players in passes defended (20) but ranked second on average (1.54 per game) and tied for sixth among IIAC players in interceptions.
 
Up front, senior Cole Hinders is another returning first-team all-conference selection. Hinders, a senior, made 49 tackles (23 solo), 9.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and one quarterback hurry. He ranked seventh among IIAC players in both sacks and tackles for loss.
 
Senior punter Grant Zimmerman has been an example of consistency during his Wartburg career. A three-time all-IIAC performer who was named to the first team last season, averaged an IIAC-best 40.2 yards per punt with four touchbacks and 14 kicks inside the 20. He also boomed six kicks over 50 yards with a long of 57.
 
The leg of senior placekicker Michael Bohlke got plenty of work last season as the Knights made a deep run in the Division III playoffs. He finished the season converting 12 of 16 field goals and was 60-of-68 on PATs, leading all kickers in scoring and ranking fourth among all players.
 
Head Coach Rick Willis says, “We have the largest senior class in Wartburg history and expectations are high. We are excited about the opportunity and the challenge the new season presents.”