2023 Wartburg Knights football team

American college football season

2023 Wartburg Knights football

ARC champion

NCAA Division III Semifinal, L 27–34 vs North Central

Conference| American Rivers Conference
Ranking
AFCA| No. 3
D3Football.com| No. 3
Record| 13–1 (8–0 ARC)
Head coach|

* Chris Winter (3rd season)

Offensive coordinator| Matt Wheeler (13th season)
Defensive coordinator| Matt Tschetter (3rd season)
Home stadium| Walston-Hoover Stadium

Seasons

<- 2022

2024 ->

2023 American Rivers Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team |  | W |  | L |  |  |  |  | W |  | L |
No. 3 Wartburg $^  |  | 8  | - | 0  |  |  |  |  | 13  | - | 1  |
Coe ^  |  | 7  | - | 1  |  |  |  |  | 9  | - | 2  |
Central (IA) |  | 6  | - | 2  |  |  |  |  | 8  | - | 2  |
Dubuque |  | 5  | - | 3  |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  |
Loras |  | 4  | - | 4  |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  |
Nebraska Wesleyan |  | 2  | - | 6  |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  |
Simpson |  | 2  | - | 6  |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  |
Buena Vista |  | 2  | - | 6  |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 8  |
Luther |  | 0  | - | 8  |  |  |  |  | 0  | - | 10  |

* $ - Conference champion
* ^ - NCAA Division III playoff participant

Rankings from D3Football.com

The 2023 Wartburg Knights football team represents the Wartburg College as a member of the American Rivers Conference (ARC) during the 2023 NCAA Division III football season. The Knights, led by third-year head coach Chris Winter, play home games at Walston-Hoover Stadium in Waverly, Iowa.[1] The Knights clinched their 19th conference championship on October 28, 2023, with a win over Central College[2] and then capped of the regular season 10–0 following a win at Nebraska Wesleyan. Wartburg ended the season in the national semifinals for the second straight year, losing to North Central 34–27.[3][4]

Senior linebacker Owen Grover was named the Cliff Harris Award winner, awarded to the defensive player of the year in division III.[5] He was also named ARC Defensive player of the year and 1st team all-American along with 3 other teammates, including running back Hunter Clasen, who was also named ARC Offensive player of the year.[6]

## Schedule[edit]

Wartburg's 2023 regular season scheduled consisted of five home and five away games. The Knights also hosted 4 postseason games.[7]

Date| Time| Opponent| Rank| Site| Result| Attendance

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September 2| 7:00 p.m.| Monmouth (IL)*| No. 5|

* Walston-Hoover Stadium
* Waverly, IA

| W 62–35| 3,756
September 9| 1:00 p.m.| at No. 16 Bethel (MN)*| No. 3|

* Royal Stadium
* Arden Hills, MN

| W 16–2| 3,642
September 16| 1:00 p.m.| Buena Vista| No. 3|

* Walston-Hoover Stadium
* Waverly, IA

| W 47–0| 2,137
September 23| 1:00 p.m.| at Simpson| No. 3|

* Buxton Stadium
* Indianola, IA

| W 63–0| 1,524
September 30| 1:00 p.m.| Coe| No. 3|

* Walston-Hoover Stadium
* Waverly, IA

| W 27–21| 3,016
October 7| 1:00 p.m.| at Luther| No. 4|

* Carlson Stadium
* Decorah, IA

| W 54–0| 317
October 14| 1:30 p.m.| Dubuque| No. 3|

* Walston-Hoover Stadium
* Waverly, IA

| W 31–10| 5,102
October 21| 1:00 p.m.| at Loras| No. 3|

* Rock Bowl
* Dubuque, IA

| W 62–7| 1,300
October 28| 1:00 p.m.| Central (IA)| No. 3|

* Walston-Hoover Stadium
* Waverly, IA

| W 24–14| 1,500
November 4| 1:00 p.m.| at Nebraska Wesleyan| No. 3|

* Abel Stadium
* Lincoln, NE

| W 45–0| 1,200
November 18| 12:00 p.m.| Illinois College*| No. 3|

* Walston-Hoover Stadium
* Waverly, IA (NCAA Division III First Round)

| W 49–14| 1,355
November 25| 12:00 p.m.| No. 20 Whitworth*| No. 3|

* Walston-Hoover Stadium
* Waverly, IA (NCAA Division III Second Round)

| W 42–20| 1,207
December 2| 12:00 p.m.| No. 5 Wisconsin–Whitewater*| No. 3|

* Walston-Hoover Stadium
* Waverly, IA (NCAA Division III Quarterfinals)

| W 31–28| 3,259
December 9| 2:30 p.m.| No. 1 North Central (IL)*| No. 3|

* Walston-Hoover Stadium
* Waverly, IA (NCAA Division III Semifinals)

| L 27–34| 3,525

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming
* Rankings from D3Football.com Poll released prior to the game
* All times are in Central time

## Rankings[edit]

Further information: 2023 NCAA Division III football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking| Week

|

Poll| Pre| 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| 6| 7| 8| 9| 10| 11| Final
D3football.com| 5| 3| 3| 3| 3| 4| 3| 3| 3| 3| 3| 3| 3
AFCA| Not released| 4| 4| 4| 3| 3| 3| 3| 3| 3| 3

## Roster[edit]

2023 Wartburg Knights football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

WR | `1` | Brock Califf | Jr
QB | `3` | Riley Richards | Jr
WR | `4` | Drake George | Sr
QB | `5` | Grant Halverson | So
WR | `6` | Trey Eagle | Sr
WR | `6` | Caleb Egesdal | Fr
QB | `7` | Carter Markham | Jr
QB | `8` | Nile McLaughlin | Sr
WR | `8` | Karter Decker | Fr
WR | `10` | Carter Henry | Jr
QB | `10` | Payton Salomon | Fr
WR | `11` | Thor Maakestad | Sr
QB | `15` | Quintin Loeb | Fr
WR | `15` | Miles Robertson | Fr
WR | `16` | Jagger Schmitt | So
WR | `17` | Matt Buckner | Sr
QB | `18` | Leo Dodd | So
WR | `20` | Dylan Swanstrom | Fr
RB | `21` | Ben Bryant | Sr
WR | `23` | Darius Whaley | Sr
RB | `24` | Hunter Clasen | Sr
RB | `25` | Dylan Marti | Fr
WR | `26` | Jonathan Greig | Fr
RB | `27` | Brenden Fisch | Fr
RB | `28` | Bricen White | Jr
RB | `31` | Joey Anderson | So
RB | `31` | Brandon Cushion | Fr
RB | `35` | Levi Pingel | So
RB | `36` | Dawson Rud | Fr
RB | `38` | CJ Hisler | Fr
RB | `39` | Maurice Powell | Fr
TE | `41` | John McConohy | Jr
TE | `43` | Micah Holmberg | So
TE | `46` | Austin Barta | Jr
RB | `47` | Jackson Thompson | Fr
OL | `51` | Will Conlan | Sr
OL | `52` | Ben Petlon | Sr
OL | `53` | Brandt Petersen | Sr
OL | `60` | Ben Dunlap | Sr
OL | `60` | Brady Weepie | Fr
OL | `62` | Arturo Venegas | Fr
OL | `63` | Reese Theobald | So
OL | `64` | Jason Koopmann | So
OL | `65` | Brandt Reints | Fr
OL | `65` | Cooper Smock | Jr
OL | `65` | Garrett Williams | Fr
OL | `66` | Cade Carpenter | Jr
OL | `67` | Josh Reichard | Fr
OL | `68` | Kellen Kpogli | Fr
OL | `68` | Ethan Stockwell | Sr
OL | `69` | Nathan Lorenzen | So
OL | `70` | Logan Peterman | Fr
OL | `72` | Jesse Nevarez | Fr
OL | `72` | Max Rossow | Fr
OL | `73` | Xander Bradley | Jr
OL | `74` | Alex Lahmon | Sr
OL | `75` | Brady Robinson | Fr
OL | `76` | Clayton Bockhoven | Fr
OL | `76` | Isaiah Corbin | Jr
OL | `77` | Dakota Dally | Fr
OL | `77` | Tucker Kinney | Sr
OL | `78` | Nicholas Mahnke | Fr
WR | `80` | Tai Streets | So
WR | `80` | Ben Wymer | Fr
TE | `81` | Kaden Behrens | So
TE | `81` | Tom Butters | Sr
WR | `82` | Justis Bachman | Fr
TE | `82` | Grant Higgins | Jr
WR | `83` | Caleb Beck | Fr
WR | `83` | Jack Eddy | Fr
WR | `83` | Max Solis | Jr
WR | `84` | Tucker Mumford | Sr
TE | `85` | Matt Dufoe | So
WR | `85` | Brayden Lane | Fr
WR | `85` | Elijah Mendoza | Fr
TE | `86` | Tanner Sauerbrei | Jr
WR | `87` | Cade Hughes | So
WR | `88` | Carter Bussanmas | Sr
WR | `89` | Tyler Ott | Jr
TE | `93` | Blayne Farmer | Fr
TE | `96` | Matthew Hilleman | Fr
TE | `96` | Malachi Moore | Fr
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

DB | `2` | Grant McCallips | Sr
DB | `2` | Jack Wilson | Fr
LB | `3` | Nate Link | Sr
DB | `5` | Kaleb Lamphier | Sr
LB | `6` | Sam Kissner | Sr
DB | `8` | Ryan Doyle | Fr
DB | `9` | Ben Parker | Sr
DB | `10` | Trace Meyer | Fr
DB | `12` | Blake Janssen | So
DB | `13` | Thane Alexander | Jr
DB | `14` | Parker Rochford | Jr
DB | `15` | Grant Larson | Jr
DB | `19` | Drew Wyffels | Sr
DB | `20` | Conner Grover | So
LB | `22` | Sam Conway | So
DB | `23` | Ryan Folkerts | So
DB | `25` | Calum Maclearn | Jr
DB | `26` | Jason O'Boye | Fr
DB | `27` | Logan Jungling | Fr
DB | `27` | Tegan Wyckoff | Sr
DB | `28` | Dylan McCaulley | Fr
DB | `28` | Tobias Polk | Jr
LB | `29` | Tyler Gayer | Fr
DB | `30` | DJ Witt | Jr
DB | `31` | Dylan Hanson | Fr
DB | `32` | Adam Link | Fr
DB | `33` | Dakota Lau | Jr
DL | `34` | Jordan Downing | Sr
LB | `36` | McKade Munn | So
LB | `37` | Preston Rochford | Sr
LB | `40` | Mac Watts | So
DL | `42` | Justin Grieff | Sr
LB | `44` | Owen Grover | Sr
DB | `45` | Colt Berry | Fr
LB | `45` | Dakota Stevenson | Sr
LB | `48` | Alex Koch | So
LB | `49` | Keenan Tyler | Jr
LB | `50` | Jack Heinberg | So
LB | `51` | Aiden Mauer | Fr
LB | `52` | Colin Snitker | So
DL | `54` | Conner McDonald | Fr
DL | `55` | Riley Konrardy | Sr
LB | `55` | Kale Rodgers | Jr
LB | `56` | Kaden Bibler | So
DL | `56` | Kanan Morris | Sr
LB | `57` | Seth Madden | Fr
LB | `58` | Trent Polley | So
LB | `58` | Trent Roberts | So
LB | `59` | Zack Crawford | Fr
DL | `61` | Riley Theobald | Sr
DL | `71` | Kale Folkerts | Jr
DL | `72` | Ethan Schellhorn | Jr
DL | `73` | Ethan Berding | Fr
DL | `74` | Jacskon Woodley | Fr
DL | `75` | Andrew Friend | Jr
DL | `79` | Aiden Roberson | Fr
DL | `90` | Jack Drahos | So
DL | `91` | Walker Hermeier | Jr
DL | `93` | Aiden Doyle | Fr
DL | `93` | Griffin Neal | Jr
DL | `94` | Josh Stiffend | Sr
DL | `95` | Brady Peterson | Fr
DL | `96` | Cam Stalzer | So
DL | `97` | Owen Hatcher | Jr
DL | `98` | Jake Walker | Fr
DL | `99` | Christian Nunley | Jr
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

K | `0` | Cael O'Neill | Sr
K/P | `39` | Luke Shepard | Fr
K/P | `39` | Jaxson Hoppes | So
LS | `79` | Parker Sperfslage | Fr

Head coach

* Chris Winter

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* Matt Wheeler – Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach
* Matt Tschetter – Defensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator
* Anthony Vela – Defensive Line
* Luke Summers – Offensive Line
* Ethan Lape – Running Backs
* Quinton Murphy – Wide Receivers
* Jeff Beck – Offensive Assistant
* Paul Mugan – Tight Ends
* Steve Kingery – Specialists
* Jason Splitt – Defensive Assistant/Student Coach
* Danny Drees – Athletic Trainer
* Jessica Albright – Athletic Trainer

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

* * *

Roster
Last update: November 22, 2023

## Awards and honors[edit]

Individual Awards  Player  | Award

|

Owen Grover  | William V. Campbell Trophy Finalist
Gagliardi Trophy Finalist
ARC Defensive Player of the Year
Cliff Harris Award
D3Football.com Defensive Player of the year
DIII Academic All-American of the Year
D3football.com 1st team All-American
AFCA 1st team All-American
AP 1st team All-American
Hunter Clasen  | ARC Offensive Player of the Year
D3football.com 1st team All-American
AP 2nd team All-American
Parker Rochford  | D3football.com 1st team All-American
AP 1st team All-American
Riley Konrardy  | D3football.com 1st team All-American
Jordan Downing  | D3football.com 3rd team All-American
AP 2nd team All-American
Tucker Kinney  | D3football.com 4th team All-American
Coach  | Award
Chris Winter | ARC Coach of the year
AFCA Region 5 Coach of the year
Reference:[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]

All-Conference  Player  | Position  | Team  | Year

|
|
|

Jordan Downing  | DL  | 1  | SR
Riley Konrardy  | DL  | 1  | SR
Owen Grover  | LB  | 1  | SR
Nate Link  | LB  | 1  | SR
Parker Rochford  | DB  | 1  | JR
Hunter Clasen  | RB  | 1  | SR
Tucker Kinney  | OT  | 1  | SR
Alex Lahmon  | OG  | 1  | SR
Justin Grieff  | DL  | 2  | SR
Preston Rochford  | LB  | 2  | SR
Drew Wyffels  | DB  | 2  | SR
Nile McLaughlin  | QB  | 2  | SR
Tom Butters  | TE  | 2  | SR
Ethan Stockwell  | OT  | 2  | SR
Cael O'Neill  | K  | 2  | SR
Jaxson Hoppes  | P  | HM  | SO
Dylan Steen  | DB  | HM  | SR
HM = Honorable mention. Reference:[16]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Wartburg Facilities". go-knights.net. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
2. ^ Promnitz, Donald (October 28, 2023). "Wartburg College clinches A-R-C championship in win over Central". The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Cedar Falls, Iowa. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
3. ^ Nelson, Jim (December 9, 2023). "Wartburg Fights to Finish Stunned Late in National Semifinal Loss to No.1 NCC". The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Cedar Falls, Iowa. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
4. ^ "Wartburg falls short in national semifinal loss 34–27 to North Central". krcg.com. KRCG. December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
5. ^ Miller, Danny (December 15, 2023). "Knighted:Wartburg College Linebacker Owen Grover wins Cliff Harris Award for NCAA Division III". CLiff Harris Award.
6. ^ Miller, Danny (November 18, 2023). "College football: Clasen, Grover earn A-R-C top honors". Telegraph Herald. Dubuque, Iowa. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
7. ^ "2023 Wartburg Knights Football Schedule". go-knights.net. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
8. ^ "2023 D3football.com All-America team". D3Football.com. December 15, 2023.
9. ^ "NFF Proudly Announces the Finalists for 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy". National Football Foundation. October 25, 2023.
10. ^ "Illinois College's Collin Brunstein and Pomona-Pitzer's Cameron Shirangi Headline the 2023 AFCA Division III Coaches' All-America Teams". AFCA. December 11, 2023.
11. ^ Russo, Ralph. "Cortland quarterback Zac Boyes and North Central RB Joe Sacco lead AP Division III All-America team". Associated Press. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
12. ^ "Five named Gagliardi finalists". D3football.com. D3football.com. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
13. ^ "Wartburg's Owen Grover named finalist for 2023 Gagliardi Trophy". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
14. ^ "Kalen Deboer and Willie Simmons Headline the 2023 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Winners". afca.com. AFCA. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
15. ^ "2023 Academic All-America® Football Teams announced for all NCAA and NAIA divisions" (Press release). January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
16. ^ "Wartburg's Clasen, Grover, and Winter Highlight A-R-C All-Conference Football Selections". American Rivers Conference. November 17, 2023.

* v
* t
* e

Wartburg Knights football

Venues|

* Schield Stadium (1955–2000)
* Walston-Hoover Stadium (2001–present)

People|

* Head coaches

Seasons|

* 1935
* 1936
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*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[No.]: Number