Missouri Western Sets Sights on Playoffs

By David Boyce

Next year at the MIAA football media day Missouri Western coach Jerry Partridge should bring a tape recording of himself saying five words when the preseason coaches' poll is revealed.

We are always picked fifth.

It happened this year. It happened in 2007 and 2006. It even happened in the first preseason media poll. Forty-seven members of the media voted and the Griffons were a solid fifth.

Partridge accepts the slight disrespect of his program. It's high-octane motivation fuel for his team.

"We are going to be fine," Partridge said. "Eight out of 10 years we have finished higher than we were picked."

A characteristic of Partridge's teams is they never give up. That was true last season. Suffering a seven-point loss at Northwest Missouri, a six-point loss to Pittsburg State and a four-point loss at Washburn in successive weeks didn't drain the Griffons' spirits.

"Anytime you lose a game to your rival it does take it out of you," junior quarterback Drew Newhart said. "Last year our expectations were high and we didn't meet them.

"We came together and pulled some out at the end of the year."

As pleased as the Griffons were with the way they played in the second half of the season, they were disappointed with the overall results. Their goal was a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Missouri Western barely missed the playoffs in 2007 and figured with so many returners it had a realistic shot. It didn't happen.

Starting with Newhart, Missouri Western is once again loaded with experienced players.

Newhart will be starting for the third straight year. He proved as a freshman he can beat good teams on the road when he led the Griffons to a 37-32 victory at Pittsburg State.

"He's good," Partridge said. "I know a lot of people in our league are confident about their quarterback. But I wouldn't trade Drew for any of them."

Newhart is a winner. In his senior season at Cameron he led his team to a Missouri state title. He redshirted in 2006 and learned.

Newhart burst on the MIAA scene in 2007 and threw for 2,089 yards and 21 touchdowns and earned conference freshman of the year honors. He upped his passing totals to 2,769 yards last year.

The most important thing for him is the knowledge and experience he gained the first two years that will help this season.

In all, Missouri Western returns 10 starters on offense and eight on defense.

As much as the Griffons enjoy the hospitality of the people who run the Mineral Water Bowl, they are tired of being the MIAA team that misses the playoffs but finishes high enough to earn a trip to Excelsior Springs.

"I think everybody knows we should be decent," Newhart said. "We have guys who understand our defense and offense. In practice, we are moving around fast. We are excited to be out there.

"We have no excuses. We have to have a better year."

The 2009 schedule favors Missouri Western at the start of the season much more than last year when it played Minnesota-Duluth in the second week and Northwest Missouri in the third week followed by Pittsburg State.

That might have been the toughest three-game stretch of any team in Division II last year. Minnesota-Duluth beat Northwest Missouri in the Division II championship game and Pittsburg State barely lost to Northwest Missouri in the second round of the playoffs.

This season Missouri Western opens at home against Northern (S.D.) State and plays at Mesa (Colo.) State in the second week. The first MIAA game for the Griffons is at Fort Hays State.

"Last year our schedule was pretty front loaded," Partridge said.

But in the rugged MIAA there are few walkover-type games. Last year Washburn was shocked when it lost in the opening week of conference play at Fort Hays State.

In the second and third weeks of conference play, Missouri Western has a home game against Washburn and then plays at Pittsburg State.

The Griffons, though, have one thing on their minds.

"We want to be in the playoffs," Partridge said.

Offensive player to watch: Junior running back Thomas Hodges, a graduate of Raymore-Peculiar, showed steady improvement from his freshman year, increasing his rushing total to 855 yards from 690.

Defensive player to watch: Sophomore defensive back Nate Bruto, a graduate of Oak Park. After redshirting in 2006 and 2007, Bruto finally got on the field last year and he excelled. Bruto recorded 73 tackles and two interceptions and was an honorable mention all-conference selection.

Key game: Missouri Western plays at Pittsburg State on Sept. 26. It's the start of a tough, two-game stretch. The following week the Griffons play at home against Northwest Missouri.

On Monday: Nebraska-Omaha football preview and Central Missouri volleyball preview.