WHITEWATER -- Jace Rindahl had a successful first season as the UW-Whitewater football coach in 2023.
On paper, his 2024 squad has the firepower to do even better, as its No. 3 ranking in the D3football.com’s preseason poll indicates.
Rindahl’s initial team went 11-2. The Warhawks (6-1) finished second to UW-La Crosse (7-0) in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Eagles defeated the Warhawks 37-34 on a 51-yard field goal on the final play of the game at Perkins Stadium.
The only other loss the Warhawks suffered came against Wartburg College 31-28 in a NCAA Division III quarterfinal playoff game in Iowa. Wartburg scored the winning touchdown with just 54 seconds left in the game.
Rindahl took over as head coach after Kevin Bullis stepped down following the 2022 season.
“It was a good year,” Rindahl said of his first season as the head man. “A lot of lessons were learned, and we’ll grow from it.”
Many familiar names on roster
Rindahl has a lot of firepower from that team returning this season.
“We have 70% of our snaps returning,” Rindahl said. “That’s huge. We have all our position coaches coming back, and that is huge. There will be continuity that we can build off of.”
The offense will feature a veteran line, which will power a potent running game. Several key receivers also return.
The offensive line will be anchored by senior center John Pekar, who is a second-team Preseason All-America selection by D3football.com. Pekar did not allow a sack in 352 dropbacks.
Junior lineman Alex Pethan is a third-team Preseason All-America honoree, who missed the Wartburg game after being injured the week before.
Both Pekar and Pethan earned All-WIAC first-team honors last season as the line powered the Warhawks’ rushing attack that ranked ninth in the nation with 3,274 yards and 6 yards a carry.
Three other linemen that started the final game last season—seniors Addison DeShambo and Ryan Heffelfinger and junior Evan Oberg also return.
Last season’s top two running backs return.
Senior Tamir Thomas is a third-team Preseason All-America pick by D3football.com. Thomas was an All-Region and All-WIAC first-team selection last season when he averaged 7.7 yards a carry while gaining 1,446 yards rushing.
Thomas scored a team-leading 126 points with 21 touchdowns.
He will be joined by junior Alijah Maher-Parr who averaged 5.8 yards a carry while gaining 655 yards rushing.
“We’ve added a couple of pieces as well, so there’ll be some competition,” Rindahl said.
The Warhawks’ top two receivers—seniors Tommy Coats and Steven Hein—also return.
Coats earned All-WIAC second-team honors after catching 62 passes for 730 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns. Hein caught 31 passes for 500 yards and six scores.
“There are five seniors in that room,” Rindahl said of his receiving corps.
Ceniti takes over at QB
Last season’s starting quarterback Alec Ogden graduated after throwing for 3,248 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushing for 601 yards and 13 scores.
Senior Jason Ceniti is set to take over after he started two games when Ogden was injured and played in eight games overall.
Ceniti threw for 529 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 99 yards and two TDs.
“I’m excited for Jason,” Rindahl said. “He’s a football guy. He works his tail off, and I think he’s going to have a heck of a year.”
Burba returns to lead defense
The defense is expected to be led by first-team All-WIAC selection Matt Burba. The senior lineman led the Warhawks with 10 tackles for losses and 4½ sacks.
The line will be bolstered by the return of Reed Farrington, who missed all of last season due to an injury.
Seniors Nehemiah Lomas, a lineman, and Kyle Koelblinger, a defensive back, will return after earned second-team All-WIAC status last season. Junior Ethan Gallagher is expected to lead the linebacker group.
Jeffery Isofalo-McGuire returns as the team’s kicker. Isofalo-McGuire made 12 field goals and converted 58 of 61 extra-point attempts for 94 points, which ranked second behind Thomas.
Sophomore Tyler Vasey is expected to lead the team’s return game. Vasey was named the WIAC Newcomer of the Year after he averaged 24 yards per kick return, which included a 93-yard touchdown runback.
No easy road
The Warhawks’ 10-game regular-season schedule features six teams ranked in the top 30 of the D3football.com preseason poll and a NCAA Division II opponent.
The Warhawks open the season Sept. 7 at Perkins Stadium against 19th-ranked John Carroll (Ohio) University. They then will play at NCAA Division II Roosevelt University in Arlington Heights, Illinois on Sept. 14.
The Warhawks conclude their nonconference portion of the schedule with a Sept. 21 game at home against 26th-ranked University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas).
They open WIAC play Oct. 1 at home against 30th-ranked UW-Oshkosh.
“We have another gauntlet of a schedule,” Rindahl said.
The conference title might come down to the Nov. 9 contest at UW-La Crosse.
“They’re the big dogs of the conference,” Rindahl said. “They return a lot of players, so they are the one everybody is chasing.”
2024 Warhawks Schedule
Sept. 7 John Carroll University
Sept. 14 at Roosevelt University
Sept. 21 Mary Hardin-Baylor
Oct. 5 UW-Oshkosh
Oct. 12 at UW-Stout
Oct. 18 UW-Stevens Point, 7 p.m.
Oct. 26 at UW-Platteville
Nov. 2 UW-River Falls
Nov. 9 at UW-La Crosse
Nov. 16 at UW-Eau Claire
**All games start at 1 p.m. unless otherwise noted
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