Houghton, Mich – Michigan Tech football will travel to St. Paul, Minnesota to face the University of St. Thomas on Saturday, September 10th at 2 pm EST in non-conference action. The Huskies hosted the Tommies last season and fell 12-9 at Kerley Stadium. St. Thomas is playing in its second NCAA Division I season.
HUSKIES last week
- Michigan Tech football kicked off 2022 with a 23-13 win over Wisconsin-Platteville on Thursday night in Houghton. Wide receiver Darius Willis caught a pair of interceptions and linebacker Mark Sippel led the team with eight tackles and 1.5 sacks.
- The Huskies led 7-0 at halftime and used three quarterback plays, including a Steel Forts run into the end zone from the three-yard line.
- “There were some things we did well and some things we needed to get better at,” Olson said when asked to evaluate the performance.
- Will Marano led the rushing game with 48 yards on 17 attempts. Tech didn’t make any changes, gathering in one fumble and scoring their first team safety in more than four years.
Come back
- Tech football graduated 16 seniors in 2021 and is set to honor 23 seniors this season on Oct. 29.
- Eight Huskies were named All-GLIAC with five honorable mentions. Eight of the 13 returned in 2022.
Key returns
- No. 58 Hayden Huttula (Sr., C, Hartland, Mich.) – AFCA First Team All-American, GLIAC Commissioner’s Award, Team Offensive Lineman of the Year. He started all 10 games, team captain.
- No. 3 Braxton Blackwell (Sr., DB, South Lyon, Mich.) – Second Team All-GLIAC, second on team with 74.0 total tackles, 32 solo, 1.5 sacks, team-high eight pass breakups.
- No. 15 Michael Bates Jr. (Junior DB, Dearborn, Mich. – Had a team-high four interceptions over the middle of the field, 100 yard interceptions for a touchdown at Northwood, seventh in total tackles (44.0) with 2.5 TFL., five passes broken up.
- No. 32 Drew Wyble (So., K, Marquette, Mich.) – Second Team All-GLIAC, converted 9-11 field goals (82%) with season-long 35-yard game-winner at Wayne St., 23-24 More points (96%),
- No. 9 Austin Schlicht (So., DE, Oxford, Mich.) – Honorable Mention All-GLIAC, first team of the year. Tied for second in GLIAC in sacks (8.0), two forced fumbles.
- No. 8 Will Arch (Sr., KB, Green Bay, Wis.) – Honorable Mention All-GLIAC, Harold Meese Sportsmanship Award. Started all 10 games, 1,715 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, Rushing: 64 yards, two touchdowns. Averaged 37.3 yards per punt (19 total).
LAST YEAR VS ST. Thomas
- The Tommies won their first game as an NCAA Division I member institution last season at Kerley Stadium, 12-9. The Huskies led 9-3 at halftime, but UST kicker Lewis Hyde split the uprights from 32-yards with 59 seconds left in the game to cap a fourth-quarter comeback.
- St. Thomas racked up 269 offense all-time compared to Michigan Tech’s 233.
- Marvin Wright led the Huskies with 10 tackles and MTU posted 5.0 sacks.
- Coach Olsen commented after the game, “We made a few mistakes that allowed St. Thomas to win a close game today. But we just have to keep working hard to get better.”
- This week marks Michigan Tech’s first trip to O’Shaughnessy Stadium.
Tommy last week
- St. Thomas lost to Southern Utah (Big Sky) 44-13 to open the season in Cedar City, Utah. The Tommies rushed for 180 yards and posted 462 yards from scrimmage.
- Senior quarterback Cade Sexuaer (South St. Paul, Minn
- Junior wide receiver Jacob Wildermuth posted a team-best 66 receiving yards.
Scouting the Tommies
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St. Thomas is in the midst of its 119th season and Glenn Caruso is in his 15th season as head coach. In the year After being hired in 2008, Caruso led the Tommies to two NCAA Division III championship games in eight seasons.
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He is a six-time National Coach of the Year (most among active coaches).
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He compiled a 133-24 record (.847 won) before the Tommies jumped to Division 1 in 2021.
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The Tommies bring back 20 starters from last year, including 10 defensive players, eight offensive players and their top goalie. Caruso’s preseason roster includes 30 seniors and approximately 75 returners and 30 freshmen and four transfers.
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St. Thomas, which posted a 7-3 record last season, recorded its 14th straight season with seven or more wins to share third place in the 11-team PFL.
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The Tommies went 4-0 at home to extend their O’Shaughnessy Stadium regular season win streak to 33 and their on-campus streak to 20 overall.
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Purple was selected third in the Pioneers’ preseason coaches poll in 2022 behind Davidson and San Diego.
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St. Thomas’ 30 seniors include 13 qualifying in their fifth season.
- 13 players have been recognized for the 2021 All-Pioneer Football League.
