NORTHFIELD, Minn. - St. Olaf head coach Jerry Olszewski hopes his third team, with experiences playmakers on each side of the ball and a few new weapons, will play a complete season.

Olszewski's program jumped out to a 3-1 start in 2009 behind a big-play offense and sturdy defense that propelled the team to convincing wins over Luther, Pacific Lutheran and Augsburg. What transpired over the next four games was all too familiar to then second year coach Jerry Olszewski. Like they did in Olszewski's first season, the Oles lost four straight in the middle of the schedule, before closing with solid wins. In 2009, Olszewski's Oles lost each in the stretch by one score or less.

The team responded with two good victories -- a 20-7 victory at Gustavus and a 34-20 win over Hamline at home -- to close the season.

DEFENSE


The St. Olaf defense had its best season in recent memory last year. The team allowed only 147 points (14.7 points/game), which was the lowest total since 1977 (12.2 points/game). The Oles leaned on a rushing defense that led the MIAC at 79.3 yards/game and 2.3 yards/carry. The Oles were second in the MIAC in total defense, scoring defense and fifth in pass defense.

Defensive Line


Two of the Oles' front four will return in 2010 including defensive end Brian Albrect (Jr., Hutchinson, Minn.).Albrect collected seven tackles for a loss, four sacks and had an interception.

Max Rustad (Sr., Wayzata, Minn.) also returns after moving into a starting role last year. Rustad had a sack and three tackles for a loss.

Colin Ferrian (Jr., St. Paul, Minn./St. Thomas Academy) and Corey Tutewohl (Sr., Farmington, Minn.) will also play a key role on the defense. Tutewohl had two sacks and four tackles for a loss in 2009 while Ferrian had four sacks and seven for a loss.

Nick Ondler, who played significant snaps in 2009, could move into the one of the starting tackle spots. Ondler had a solid junior season, picking up 15 tackles and a sack.

Senior Dustin Heiser, a wrestler at St. Olaf playing his second season of football, could also complete for playing time on the interior.

Linebackers


Patrick Luevano (Sr., Orangevale, Calif./Casa Roble) is the lone returning starter at the linebacker spot after the team graduated Eric Werdahl and All-MIAC honoree Adam Concannon. Luevano was second on the team in tackels with 53 last season. His 10 tackles for a loss and seven sacks were each career bests.

A pair of junior Apple Valley, Minn.-natives -- Matt Olson and Wes Lynch -- could move into the starting roles after serving as backups in 2009. Olson made 18 total tackles last season while Lynch picked up nine. Senior Ryan Campbell (Appleton, Wis.) will also be in the mix.

Defensive Backs


Nick Branjord (Jr., Stillwater, Minn.) will hold down the Oles' defensive backfield as the only returning starter in the group. At the free safety spot Branjord was fourth on the team in tackles last year and had two interceptions and six pass breakups.

Nick Nazarian (Soph., Minnetonka, Minn.) and Calvin Boss (Jr., Grand Rapids, Minn.) will likely take over at the cornerback spots after being primary subs in 2009.

Drew Eid (Jr., Big Lake, Minn.) could also see numerous snaps this year.

OFFENSE


With the Ole defense playing as well as it did in 2009, it was the offense that made the difference. In the Oles' five wins last fall, the team scored 31.4 points/game. In five losses, a mere 10.6.

A similar plotline could unfold in 2010.

Quarterbacks


Clay Garrett (Yukon, Okla.), who took over in 2009 for an injured John Haberman, will compete with University of Minnesota-Duluth transfer Dan Dobson (Soph., Mankato, Minn./West) for the starting quarterback spot.

Dobson, an all-state quarterback for Mankato West High School, played in six games for Division II UMD last season, completing 7-of-11 attempts. In his final high school season, Dobson threw for over 2,400 yards, rushed for 1,200 more and accounted for 34 touchdowns (22 passing and 12 rushing).

After a slow start last fall, Garrett was quite effective in his final few starts. Over his final three games, he threw for five touchdowns against three interceptions. In all, he was 92-for-169 for six scores and 10 picks.

Running Backs


The offense will, at least in part, around running back Leon Clark (Rochester, Minn./Century). The explosive junior burst on the scene in 2008 and followed with a 1,084-yard sophomore campaign. Clark rushed for at least 125 yards five times, including a 201-yard game at Gustavus on Nov. 7 and a 261-yard effort against Hamline on Nov. 14 to close the season. Clark was an All-MIAC selection as a running back and utility player, as he led the league in all purpose yard (198.0 yards/game), was second in rushing (120.4 yards/game) and was 10th in total offense.

Another junior, Kevin Foss (Woodbury, Minn.), had 65 carries last fall and is one of the favorites to be Clark's backup. He averaged 3.5 yards/carry with two scores.

After spending last season sidelined with an injury, Mac Web also returns to the backfield for the Oles. Webb had 13 carries in 2008 and 16 in 2007.

Wide Receivers


St. Olaf will look to senior Antonio Jennings (Atlanta/North) to lead the receivers. Jennings had his best season in 2009, catching 51 passes for 691 yards and six scores. He added a big-play threat to the fold, as he had a pair of game-clinching scores including a 90-yard touchdown in week three.

Another senior, possession receiver Jared Mueller (Brainerd, Minn.), will support the group. Mueller caught 25 balls for 212 yards and three touchdowns last year.

Casey Leslie, who could move into the team?s third receiver spot, also returns after catching four passes last season.

The remainder of the receiving responsibilities could fall on any number of candidates, including Jake Schmiesing (Fy, Stillwater, Minn.) and Stephen Asp (Fy, Edina, Minn.).

Tight Ends


Converted linebacker Tim Bauer (Jr., Blaine, Minn.) or Keith Nederhoed (Sr., Palm Bay, Fla.) could take over the duties at tight end after the Oles graduated Mike Shimshock. Nederhoed didn't catch any passes in 2009, but played as a blocking tight end on occasion.

Offensive Line


The Oles graduated the left side of the line last year -- left tackle John Schantzen and left guard Kyle Glanton -- but the other starters will return. Senior captain Drew Penz (Rochester, Minn./Mayo) will anchor the unit at center. Junior right guard Carl Stone (Melborne, Fla.) and three-year starter right tackle Adam Koenig (Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins) will likely hold down the right side of the line unless one moves to the left to stabilize the front.

The team also has Daine Jensch (Jr., Wes Concord, Minn./Triton) and Shea Corrigan (Jr., Hutchinson, Minn.) back in 2010. Each saw significant action last fall.

Specialists


Josiah Powell (Sr., St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral) had a good 2009 season as the team's place kicker, making 8-of-13 field goal attempts. The Oles added two other kickers to the roster -- Ken Ouren (Fy, North Mankato, Minn./West) and Jason Obarski (Soph., Apple Valley, Minn.).

Clark and Reggie Woods will likely be the team's return men this fall. Clark was second in the MIAC in kick return average (30.0 yards/return) while Woods was fourth (27.8 yards/return).

Schedule


St. Olaf plays a pair of Iowa Intercollegiate Atheltic Conference teams -- at Luther on Sept. 4 and vs. Simpson College on Sept. 11 -- to open the season. The Oles host the University of St. Thomas on Sept. 18 in the team's MIAC opener.