Mavs Open Spring Drills Tuesday
The Mavericks will open their 15-practice spring drills on Tuesday, March 20 at 3 p.m. at Caniglia Field. The team will workouts on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday for three weeks and Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday the final week, including a 1 p.m. April 14 spring game. Weekday practices will begin at 3 p.m, with Saturday practice times to be determined.
The Squad
The Mavericks return 47 lettermen, including 14 with starting experience from last year's 8-3 team that won its third straight North Central Conference title. UNO loses 16 lettermen, including 11 who started. Eight offensive starters and six defensive starters return from last season. A total of 94 players are on the spring roster.
The Records
UNO finished the season at 8-3 overall. The Mavericks were 7-1 and shared the North Central Conference championship, their third straight and eighth overall, with North Dakota. UNO advanced to the NCAA II playoffs and received a first-round bye a second straight year. The Mavericks lost, 38-35, to North Dakota in the playoff matchup.
The Coaches
Nebraska-Omaha's Pat Behrns will be in his 14th season as the head coach with a 95-52 record at UNO and a 131-79 record in 17 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Behrns is the all-time leader in wins at UNO. He is a 1972 graduate of Dakota State. Under Behrns the Mavericks have won NCC titles, in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005and 2006 and made their sixth NCAA II playoff appearance in 2006. He has been named the NCC Coach of the Year three times. Behrns' 146 games is the most of any UNO head coach.
Key Returnees
The Mavericks return three first-team all-NCC performers, including All-American Ben Hochstein, the league's most valuable offensive lineman. Quarterback Zach Miller was a Harlon Hill regional finalist while rushing for 1,098 yards and scoring a school-record 19 touchdowns. On defense, junior cornerback Reed Taylor was all-NCC with two pass interceptions and 11 break-ups. Free Safety Randy Kush was second-team all-NCC and offensive lineman Jake Krause and wide receiver Troy Kush earned honorable mention.
Key Losses
The losses are few, but talented. All-American tight end Zac Herold heads the list, along with all-NCC selections Bobby Danenhauer, Kenny Ontatolu, Antwain Woods, Kyle Kasperbauer and Randall Jantzen and second-team pick Tarvis Banks. Other starters not returning include four-year punter Don Grafton, three-year starter Jason Jones and placekicker Andrew McCawley.
The Squad
The Mavericks return 47 lettermen, including 14 with starting experience from last year's 8-3 team that won its third straight North Central Conference title. UNO loses 16 lettermen, including 11 who started. Eight offensive starters and six defensive starters return from last season. A total of 94 players are on the spring roster.
The Records
UNO finished the season at 8-3 overall. The Mavericks were 7-1 and shared the North Central Conference championship, their third straight and eighth overall, with North Dakota. UNO advanced to the NCAA II playoffs and received a first-round bye a second straight year. The Mavericks lost, 38-35, to North Dakota in the playoff matchup.
The Coaches
Nebraska-Omaha's Pat Behrns will be in his 14th season as the head coach with a 95-52 record at UNO and a 131-79 record in 17 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Behrns is the all-time leader in wins at UNO. He is a 1972 graduate of Dakota State. Under Behrns the Mavericks have won NCC titles, in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005and 2006 and made their sixth NCAA II playoff appearance in 2006. He has been named the NCC Coach of the Year three times. Behrns' 146 games is the most of any UNO head coach.
Key Returnees
The Mavericks return three first-team all-NCC performers, including All-American Ben Hochstein, the league's most valuable offensive lineman. Quarterback Zach Miller was a Harlon Hill regional finalist while rushing for 1,098 yards and scoring a school-record 19 touchdowns. On defense, junior cornerback Reed Taylor was all-NCC with two pass interceptions and 11 break-ups. Free Safety Randy Kush was second-team all-NCC and offensive lineman Jake Krause and wide receiver Troy Kush earned honorable mention.
Key Losses
The losses are few, but talented. All-American tight end Zac Herold heads the list, along with all-NCC selections Bobby Danenhauer, Kenny Ontatolu, Antwain Woods, Kyle Kasperbauer and Randall Jantzen and second-team pick Tarvis Banks. Other starters not returning include four-year punter Don Grafton, three-year starter Jason Jones and placekicker Andrew McCawley.
