Schedule
Northwood (1-3, 1-1 G-MAC) at Hillsdale College (0-4, 0-2 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 30 | Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium | Hillsdale, Michigan
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Hillsdale Roster | Northwood Roster | 2023 Hillsdale Stats | 2023 Northwood Stats | G-MAC Schedule | G-MAC Standings
Last Week
Hillsdale staged a furious fourth-quarter rally from a 28-0 deficit, scoring 21 points in the final period to close the gap, but couldn't get all the way back in a 31-21 homecoming loss to Findlay. Quarterback Garrit Aissen connected with freshman Shea Ruddy on a 40-yard touchdown pass and ran in another score, while Michael Herzog added 52 yards on the ground and a rushing score as well. Matt Soderdahl picked off a pass and Hunter Sperling added 1.5 sacks as well as the Chargers defense picked up play in the second half after a rough start.
Scouting the Opposition
Coming off a 3-8 season in 2022 and entering last Saturday with an 0-3 record, Northwood needed some kind of positive momentum from their tilt with Lake Erie, and they got it in spades in a 68-14 blowout.
Couple that with a very competitive 34-27 loss to undefeated and G-MAC-leading Tiffin the week prior, and the Timberwolves have the feel of a team that is pointed in the right direction heading into this week's contest.
In the first season under new head coach Dustin Beurer, the Northwood offense has a different feel, with new faces in several spots, led by Nevada transfer Jacob Barlage at QB. Barlage has thrown for 671 yards and five touchdowns in four contests so far, including three in the win over Lake Erie last weekend. Barlage has a capable backup in Jake Kelbert, who threw for two touchdowns against the Storm as well, and also has two rushing touchdowns on the year.
At tailback, Northwood is happy to see Cashual Goldsmith, an important contributor in 2021 who missed all of last season, back in the fold. Goldsmith has 248 rushing yards and is averaging five yards a carry so far. Eastern Michigan transfer Sebastian Toland is part of the rotation as well.
At receiver, Albion College transfers Mark Tocco, Andy Durand and Brenda Teal, who followed Beurer to Midland, have been the top targets so far in the new offense, combining for 365 yards so far. The Timberwolves like to spread the ball around, with seven different players catching a touchdown pass in 2023.
The offensive line also has seen significant changes from 2022, with right guard Kyle Main the only returning starter for a young unit that took its lumps in the first two weeks but seems to be getting better as the season wears on.
On defense, returning All-G-MAC linebacker Mbaimba Tunkara has 20 tackles, 6.5 for loss, to spearhead a unit that's had an up and down 2023 so far. Safety Stephen Douglas leads the team in tackles with 34, along with four pass breakups and a blocked kick, while defensive end Brock Cook and linebacker Daniel Wynn have been the top pass rush threats for the Timberwolves so far.
Northwood has an experienced special teams unit, led by returning second-team All-G-MAC kicker Max Gonos, who is 3 of 4 on field goals and 13 of 13 on extra points so far this season. Punter Matt Paull also returns from 2022 and is averaging 34.2 yards per kick so far.
Beurer takes over as the head coach at Northwood after a stellar run at Division III Albion College, posting a 29-5 overall record with two MIAA championships in four seasons. Prior to leading the Britons, Beurer worked at Albion, his alma mater, for 11 seasons in a variety of roles, as well as two seasons at Morehead State University.
The Series
The Chargers are 34-17 all-time against Northwood and have dominated the series for the last decade, with eight straight wins over the Timberwolves starting in 2010, and including a 41-7 win in Midland last season. While Hillsdale hasn't lost to Northwood since a 38-37 defeat in 2009, they have had a few close calls during their win streak, including an overtime game in 2019 and a 14-10 contest in 2011.
Other Notes
- Senior tailback Michael Herzog is off to a great start in 2023, putting up back-to-back 100 yard games on the ground against excellent run defenses to open the campaign, then adding a rushing touchdown on the ground in each of the last two weeks. Herzog had a breakout season last year, putting up 940 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground and earning first team All-G-MAC honors. Now, he's aiming to be the first Chargers running back to go over 1,000 yards in a season since All-American David Graham in 2019, and his 378 yards through four games ranks third in G-MAC play, while his five rushing touchdowns are tied for the G-MAC lead. The dynamic back gets plenty of help up front, running behind an experienced offensive line that returns all five starters from last season's squad, led by All-G-MAC center Nick Affholter.
- Senior tight end Michael Harding earned a prestigious honor by being named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy on Wednesday. Harding, a three-time All-G-MAC tight end, was nominated for the award, considered by many to be the academic equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, both for his outstanding play on the football field and his impressive achievements in the classroom. Finalists for the award will be announced on Oct. 25. Hillsdale's last Campbell Award finalist was quarterback Mark Nicolet in 2008.
- Junior captain Riley Tolsma was a revelation in 2022, becoming Hillsdale's most effective pass rusher at defensive end in his first full season as a starter with team highs in sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (11). Tolsma's 7.5 sacks were the most by a Charger in a single season since current Los Angeles Ram Zach VanValkenburg had 8.5 in 2018. The junior will be a major player up front for the Chargers in 2023 along with veteran nose tackle Zachary Tokie and defensive end Trevor DeGroote, both of whom played significant roles in 2022.
- The Chargers have a recent tradition of star receivers, including Trey Brock, K.J. Maloney and Isaac TeSlaa, and redshirt freshman Sam Lee looks like the next in line after a strong start. Lee's 6-foot-6 frame and athleticism make him a tough matchup for opposing defenders, and his 305 yards rank fifth in the G-MAC among all receivers so far. A star at Toledo Central Catholic in high school, Lee signed with the Chargers last season along with his twin brother, Josh, who also sees the field for Hillsdale at tight end.
- Along with Lee, another young receiver is standing out in his first season at Hillsdale. Shea Ruddy impressed on Saturday with 114 yards on five catches, including a 40-yard touchdown reception that included multiple broken tackles on the way to the end zone. Ruddy's 114-yard game was Hillsdale's first 100-plus yard receiving game by a true freshman since Trey Brock in 2015.
- 2018 graduate Zach VanValkenburg made his NFL debut with the Los Angeles Rams as a linebacker on Sept. 10, seeing the field in the Rams' 30-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks. VanValkenburg was the G-MAC Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2018 while leading the Chargers in sacks and helping Hillsdale win a 2018 G-MAC title and make the NCAA DII Playoffs. After graduating from Hillsdale, VanValkenburg went on to play two seasons at the University of Iowa while getting his masters degree. He was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 but did not make the final roster. In January, he was signed by LA and made the 53-man roster for the 2023 season in August, becoming the first Charger since Jared Veldheer's retirement in 2021 to appear in an NFL game last Sunday.
- The Charger football program has long been known for its strong family tradition, and that continues in 2023 with multiple sets of brothers on the roster. On the offensive line, twin brothers Nick Affholter and Benjamin Affholter (Quincy, MI/Reading) will hold down interior line spots for the third straight season, and are joined on the roster by younger brother Zac Affholter, a true freshman lineman. All three are sons of Brad Affholter, a multi-year starter on the Charger offensive line in the mid-90s and an assistant coach with the team in 2023. There are several other sibling duos on the team – twin brothers Josh Lee and Sam Lee (Toledo, OH/Central Catholic) return as sophomores this season, as do junior tight end Ben Hinrichs and his younger brother, Christian (Escondido, CA/Classical Academy). Also in 2023, Hillsdale sophomore wide receiver Corban Creason (Coppell, TX/Founders Classical Academy) is joined by his younger brother, Christian, and sophomore offensive lineman John VanOpstall (Jenison, MI/Jenison) is joined by his younger brother, Chris. Along with those sibling pairs, several other players on the roster have older brothers, fathers or grandfathers who suited up for previous Charger teams.
- Hillsdale's longest-tenured assistant coach received a prestigious honor in the offseason as Offensive Coordinator Nate Shreffler was named the American Football Coaches Association's NCAA DII Assistant Coach of the Year for 2022. Shreffler is entering his 25th season with the Chargers and was recognized for both his outstanding contributions to Hillsdale's success on the field, and his work running the Chargers' "Guys With Ties" program that helps teach elementary school kids confidence and proper etiquette through interactions with players on the football team.
- With 127 wins to date, Otterbein is third all-time in career coaching victories at Hillsdale, trailing two Charger Athletics Hall of Famers in Frank "Muddy" Waters (138) and Dick Lowry (134). If he maintains his current career pace of wins per season, Otterbein would pass Waters for the all-time record in the fall of 2024.