UW-Oshkosh picked to repeat as WIAC football champion

(WBAY)
Published: Aug. 13, 2018 at 6:01 PM CDT
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Defending champion UW-Oshkosh was selected to win the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) football championship, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league's eight head coaches and sports information directors.

UW-Oshkosh returns eight defensive and six offensive starters from last year's team that captured its second WIAC title in three seasons and 10th overall.

The Titans won all seven of their WIAC contests a year ago while compiling a 12-1 overall record and advancing to the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Championship for the second straight season.

UW-Oshkosh was followed in the league's preseason poll by second-place UW-Whitewater (7-3, 6-1 WIAC in 2017), third-place UW-Platteville (7-3, 4-3), fourth-place UW-La Crosse (8-2, 5-2), fifth-place UW-Stout (5-4, 3-4), sixth-place UW-River Falls (4-6, 2-5), seventh-place UW-Stevens Point (4-6, 1-6) and eighth-place UW-Eau Claire (1-9, 0-7).

The Titans, who have defeated 38 of their last 42 WIAC opponents, return Brady Heimer (Jr. • DE), Brandon Hughes (So. • NT), Trenton LaCombe (So. • DE), Scott Skornicka (Sr. • LB), Derrick Jennings Jr. (Sr. • LB), AJ Plewa (Sr. • CB), Cole Yoder (Sr. • FS) and Taylor Ripplinger (Sr. • SS) as defensive starters from 2017.

Jennings Jr. and Yoder were All-WIAC first team selections last season while Heimer, Plewa and Skornicka were all-league second team members.

Jennings Jr. also received D3football.com All-America first team honors in 2017 after producing a WIAC-best five pass interceptions with 64 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks. Skornicka was second in the WIAC with 15 tackles for loss last season and ranked second on the Titans with 81 tackles. Yoder totaled 58 tackles last year while listing second in the WIAC with four pass interceptions.

UW-Oshkosh's offensive starters returning from a year ago are Dom Todarello (Sr. • WR), Cody Moon (Sr. • TE), Alex Wipperfurth (Jr. • OT), Austin Summers (Sr. • OT), Tyler Powers (Sr. • OG) and Alex Wendorf (Sr. • OG).

Powers, Todarello and Wendorf were All-WIAC first team picks last season.

Todarello was named the WIAC's 2017 Special Teams Player of the Year after returning 31 kickoffs for 820 yards (98-yard touchdown vs. UW-River Falls) and nine punts for 126 yards (61-yard touchdown vs. Virginia University of Lynchburg). Todarello, who also was a third team return specialist on the D3football.com All-America squad, finished the 2017 season with 32 receptions for 419 yards and eight touchdowns.

Powers, a 2017 D3football.com All-America first team selection, along with Summers, Wendorf and Wipperfurth were members of an offensive line that helped UW-Oshkosh lead the WIAC in per-game averages of 41.8 points, 484.5 total yards, 239.8 rushing yards and 189.1 passing efficiency rating a year ago.

The Titans also return senior Turner Geisthardt, who received All-WIAC first team recognition as a placekicker and all-league second team mention as a punter in 2017.

Geisthardt led WIAC kickers last season by scoring 83 points. He converted 62 of 64 extra points and 7 of 12 field goals. Geisthardt ranked second in the WIAC with an average of 40.4 yards per punt and placed 13 of his 37 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

UW-Oshkosh opens its 124th season at Carthage College (7-3 in 2017) on Sept. 1. The Titans then play two more non-conference games on the road before traveling to UW-River Falls for the WIAC opener on Sept. 29.

UW-Oshkosh will host three WIAC opponents this fall – UW-Platteville on Oct. 13, UW-La Crosse on Oct. 20 and UW-Stout on Nov. 10. The Titans' remaining WIAC games are at UW-Whitewater on Oct. 6, UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 27 and UW-Eau Claire on Nov. 3.

Members of the UW-Oshkosh team arrived on campus for the 2018 season on Friday (Aug. 10).