UST Football 9-Game Notes

November 6, 2000
Mon. Nov. 6, 2000

2000 St. Thomas Football 9-Game Notes:

.Young Lineup -- St. Thomas starts seven sophomores, a freshman, and a junior transfer QB on offense, and starts three sophomores and one freshman on defense. UST has five new starters from tackle to tackle, yet ranks in the top 25 nationally in rushing. Center Matt McLaughlin (SO-Minnetonka), 6-5, 265, was a U of Minnesota walk on (third-team Gopher center) who transferred to UST this fall.

.Barkley Watch -- RB Jake Barkley (SO-Plymouth/Robbinsdale Armstrong) ranks in the top 10 in NCAA Division III rushing at 155.1 ypg with eight consecutive 100-yard games... he now has 1,396 rushing yards -- the first Tommie RB to surpass 1,000 since All-American Gary Trettel did it in 1990... he has scored 10 TDs in eight MIAC games with a 6.6 ypc average... he's had four TD runs of 68 or more yards and overall TD runs or receptions of 68, 83, 75, 46, 32, 14, 81, 17, 15 and 31 yards... Barkley had rushing yards in only six games in 1999, but finished with 365 yards. In his last 11 MIAC games dating back to last season, he rushed for 126 yards at Augsburg (1999); 97 vs. Bethel (1999); 48 at Concordia (1999); 272 vs. Concordia (2000); 196 at Carleton (2000); 137 vs. SJU (2000); 130 at Augsburg (2000); 145 yards vs. St. Olaf (2000); 196 yards vs. Macalester (2000); 148 yards vs. Gustavus (2000); and 104 vs. Bethel (2000)... Barkley has 2,124 all-purpose yards in 18 career games, including 1,755 rushing yards... Barkley has a 3.88 gpa in Entreprenuership.

.New QB -- Ambrasas, who played high-school football at Faribault's Bethlehem Academy and St. Paul Arlington, made his first college start in the 16-0 win at Augsburg Oct. 7. Ambrasas, a former U of M walk-on, transferred to St. Thomas last January. He relieved sophomore starter Alex Jadin in three of the first four UST games and has started the last four. He has passed for 579 yards while completing 54-of-73 (73.9%) with three interceptions and three TDs.

.Kaiser Tradition -- Even though UST graduated 3X All-MIAC quarterback Greg Kaiser, they feature two other Kaiser brothers on defense -- junior DE Andy Kaiser and freshman LB John Kaiser. John Kaiser will miss the final four games with a knee injury. Andy Kaiser returned a fumble 60 yards for an apparent TD vs. Macalester but the TD was negated but a penalty on the return.

.Ludtke Watch -- UST senior running back Marcus Ludtke ran for 51 yards at Gustavus and now has 1,886 career rushing yards. He played his first two seasons at Concordia-Moorhead.

.Westland Watch -- UST senior fullback Mike Westland surpassed 100 receptions and 1,000 yards on his career. He had seven catches for 83 yards vs. Bethel and now has 103 catches for 1,051 yards and has seven TDs on his career

.Miscellaneous -- The Toms finished 7-2 in the MIAC in each of the last four seasons but will close 6-3 or 5-4 this season... In Coach Don Roney's three seasons, the Tommies are 0-3 vs. St. John's, 0-3 vs. Bemidji State, 1-2 vs. Bethel and 18-2 vs. the other seven MIAC schools... The Toms are 12-2 in their last 14 MIAC games away from O'Shaughnessy Stadium... the Toms may have the nation's tallest kicker -- 6-foot-9 sophomore Brian Lynch, a lefty, who was a backup on the Toms' 1999-2000 MIAC championship basketball team. Lynch has made his last four field goals and is perfect in 20 tries on PATs this season.

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