Football announces 2005 team awards

December 7, 2005



Ubbelohde

LB Andrew Ubbelohde was named Team MVP and Defensive MVP for the 2005 St. Thomas football team at the Dec. 4 team banquet.

Ubbelohde is one of 46 Division III players invite to compete in this month's Aztec Bowl in Mexico with a team of Division III all-stars.He broke the UST single-game and season records for tackles this season. He made first-team All-MIAC for the third year in a row -- one of just four conference players to achieve that in 2003, 2004 and 2005. He also made second-team CoSIDA Academic All-America with his 3,81 gpa in Criminal Justice. He ended the regular season third in the nation in tackles per game with 14.9; had a school-record 21 tackles vs. St. John's in his final college game; broke a UST season tackles record with 133 in nine games; and closed his career with 318 tackles, second-most in Tommie history. In 24 starts since 2003, he had 307 tackles, 10 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one recovered fumble. He was named MIAC Defensive Player of the Week three times in his career.

Offensive MVP honors went to wideout P.J. Theisen (JR-Elko/New Prague). Special Team MVP was placekicker Eric Taylor (FR-San Rafael, Calif./Terra Linda).

Theisen was also named a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American last week with a 3.89 gpa in Accounting. He had 19 reeciving or rushing gains of 22 or more yards this season and led the conference with 63 catches for 998 yards, including five consecutive 100-plus yard receiving games. In Division III national stats, he finished 12th in receiving yards per game and 13th in all-purpose yards. He tied a 19-year-old school record Nov. 12 at Hamline with four touchdown receptions -- all in the first half -- to lead a 35-13 victory. His four TD catches doubled his career total and matched the UST single-game record set by Brian Biehn vs. St. John's in 1986. Playing just three quarters, Theisen had 12 receptions for 224 yards -- believed to rank in the top-10 all-time in the MIAC for receiving yards in one game. Theisen has 118 career catches for 1,829 yards in 28 games and is on pace to finish in the top five of both UST career charts.

Taylor made 30-of-32 PAT kicks and 1-of-5 field goals (two missed from 50-plus yards) and was solid on kickoffs.

Four other awards were announced at the banquet:
--The Father Lavin Award for his Christian ideals displayed on and off the field went to DT Ben Kessler (SR-Janesville, Wis.). Kessler also won the award in 2003. He was a repeat first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2005. Kessler made All-MIAC and in 36 career games had 169 tackles, 22 sacks, 35 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and three blocked kicks.

--The Jerry Pugsley Award, given to a player who's a tough competitor and puts the team first, went for the second year in a row to FB Paul Tandberg (SR-Elk River).

--The Oil Can Man Award for exceptional sacrifice and one "who keeps things moving" was shared by QB Justin Lockrem (SR-Woodbury), DB Chris Mattke (SR-Elgin/Elgin-Millvillle), and Tandberg.

--The Scout Team Offensive MVP was QB Drew Langfeldt (JR-Mpls./Southwest).

--The Scout Team Defensive MVP was DB Jeff Jarvis (FR-Maple Grove).

2006 Captains
Four co-captains were named for 2006 -- offensive co-captains will be QB Ryan Jansen (JR-Foley) and Theisen; and defensive co-captains will be DT Mike Rouse (JR-Shoreview/Mounds View) and CB Justin Nwadiashi (JR-St. Paul/Johnson).

Jansen was an Academic All-America candidate with a 4.00 grade-point average in Electrical Engineering before a midseason injury sidelined him for the last five games. A threat as a runner or passer, Jansen had just thrown for a career-best 301 yards in the loss to unbeaten St. Olaf. Jansen is 7-4 as a starter and in 12 career varsity games has completed 56% of his passes for 2,155 yards and 11 TDs with seven interceptions.

A first-year starter at cornerback, Nwadiashi had a streak of five games in a row with one interception. He was named MIAC Defensive Player of the Week Nov. 7 after he picked off a pass and forced a fumble and helped hold Hamline under 200 yards of offense. He had 36 tackles and eight pass break-ups in nine games.

Rouse, a two-year starter, had 25 tackles (11 solo) including 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss as well as a recovered fumble. On his career he has 94 tackles and 5.5 sacks.

2005 Recap

St. Thomas finished 4-5 overall and 4-4 in the conference, with three losses to teams that played in the NCAA Division III playoffs. The Tommies recorded the school's 498th victory in 101 varsity seasons. They averaged 404 yards and 26.6 points a game, but had to overcome season-ending injuries to five starters.

The Tommies tied Bethel for fourth place in the nine-team MIAC standings at 4-4 -- the 10th time in the last 11 seasons they finished in the first division of the conference.

An injury at quarterback to starter Jansen led to three different players having starts at the pivotal position. Each of the three had at least one 225-yard passing game, and two had 300-yard passing games.

All-Region honors have yet to be announced. In the All-MIAC voting, Ubbelohde, Theisen and Kessler were voted to the 37-man first team. On the 34-player second team were Nwadiashi, OT Sam Friederichs (JR-Coon Rapids/Totino-Grace) and RB Jake Casey (FR-White Bear Lake).

Casey made his college debut in 2005 and rushed for 808 yards and 10 TDs. He had touchdown runs of 6 and 68 yards vs. St. Johns and is the first running back since the 2002 NCAA playoffs to get two rushing TDs against the Johnnies. Casey had four 100-yard games and three others with 80 or more yards. He also had 74 receiving yards.

Friederichs anchored an offensive line that produced five 100-plus yard rushing games, averaged 404 yards of total offense a game and averaged 27 points a game. His blocking helped two different QBs pass for separate 300-yard passing games, and three QBs throw for separate 225-yard games. A two-year starter, Friederichs has a 3.22 gpa in Biology.

UST offensive backs have lost just eight fumbles in the last two seasons covering 18 games. Casey didn't lose a fumble in 172 rushes this season.