Lindy's 2015 Division III Preview (Pdf)
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Saint John's University football team was ranked fourth in Lindy's Division III Preseason poll, published in its college football preview issue.
In addition, senior running back
Sam Sura (South St. Paul, Minn.) was named to Lindy's All-Division III first team and junior wide receiver
Evan Clark (Phoenix, Ariz./Apollo) was named to the second team as a return specialist. Sura was listed as a preseason All-American a few weeks ago by The Sporting News, which ranked SJU seventh nationally.
The Johnnies advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs and finished with a 10-2 overall record, including a 7-1 mark in MIAC play to claim the program's 32nd conference championship in 2014. It was the Johnnies' first MIAC title and first Division III playoff appearance since the 2009 season. SJU was ranked No. 12 in the final D3football.com and American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) polls.
The 2014 MIAC Most Valuable Player and a Gagliardi Trophy semifinalist, Sura ended the 2014 season with school records for rushing yards (1,769) and rushing yards per game (147.4), both held previously by Tim Schmitz '77 in 1976 (1,475) and 1977 (138.2), respectively, and also broke six other school records. He finished two carries shy of SJU's single-season record of 303 set by Chris Moore in 2000. Sura became the first non-quarterback to lead the team in total offense (passing and rushing yards combined) since Dave Woodbeck '88 recorded 869 yards (861 rushing and eight passing) in 1987 and his 120 points scored on 20 touchdowns (19 rushing and one receiving) was the sixth-most in an SJU season.
He ended the regular season as the NCAA Division III leader in rushing yards and finished second in rushing yards per game despite not playing in the equivalent of two full games. Sura combined for 329 rushing yards in two games against teams that were ranked No. 10 nationally (210 at St. Thomas and 119 vs. Bethel) and registered 56 runs of 10 yards or more in 12 games, accounting for 1,008 of his 1,769 yards. Of the 56 carries, 16 were of 20 yards or more, including six over 30 yards. A 2014 D3football.com first-team All-American, Sura's total of 1,769 rushing yards was more than 64 percent (155 of 242) of NCAA Division III teams last fall.
Clark was a big reason why the Johnnies finished third in Division III with an average kick return of 26.3 yards last fall. Clark returned 17 of the 27 kickoffs, averaging 30.8 yards per return, including an 87-yard touchdown return Oct. 4 against Hamline, and ranked seventh in Division III in kickoff returns (fourth among those with 15 kick returns or more). His 514 kickoff return yards were fifth-most in SJU history. At wide receiver, Clark made five receptions for 159 yards (31.8 average) and scored one touchdown.
Lindy's also listed the Johnnies' home game against St. Thomas Sept. 26 as one of the five games to watch in Division III this fall. An announced crowd of 14,286 attended the 2012 game the last time the two teams met in Collegeville. The Johnnies lead the series with a 51-31-1 record, including wins in 18 of last 22 meetings.
The Johnnies open the 2015 season with a 1 p.m. kickoff Sept. 5 against Dubuque (Iowa) in Clemens Stadium, the first of six regular-season home games this fall. SJU is expected to return 17 of its 24 starters (eight on offense, seven on defense and both special-teams specialists).
