PELLA—Not even a global pandemic could diminish the anticipation for the upcoming Central College football season, only delay it.
           
Enthusiasm was running high for the 2020 campaign after some late-season theatrics propelled the Dutch to a share of a record 31st conference championship and a 21st NCAA Division III playoff berth in 2019. A veteran squad was returning last year after the 10-2 season which ended in the second round of the playoffs.
           
But the 2020 season never happened as the pandemic shut down much of the college athletics world. Instead, Central played a downsized two-game spring season, posting a pair of lopsided victories that felt less like the kind of season the Dutch were anticipating and more like an appetizer for bigger things ahead.
           
That lost 2020 campaign can't be replaced. It's a new season. Nonetheless, nearly all of last year's senior class opted to return for 2021 to close Central football careers on their own terms and not at the hands of a virus. They're taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility the NCAA is offering, giving coach Jeff McMartin 22 returning starters from the spring campaign for the only time in his 18-year Dutch tenure. The lengthy wait since the 2019 season that ended in Wheaton, Illinois has only heightened their expectations. Coach Jeff McMartin welcomes the enthusiasm but is mindful what championship seasons require—and also aware that other league teams' rosters are littered with experience as well.
           
"I think you have to look at that great season in 2019 and say, you know, we went 10-2 but we easily could have been 7-3," he said. "We had a couple of overtime games. But we're striving to be great. We have a lot of work to do. We've got to continue to prepare for everybody's best game. We know the path we're on is filled with challenges.
           
"But it's exciting because we have a lot of really good players back, guys that are great teammates and great athletes. We know what we can do. Our coaching staff is in place and there's a lot of continuity here. You have a very experienced group of people that are going in with their eyes wide open. There's not a lot of mystery. We know it's going to be a great challenge but we also know what we're capable of and that we have to get better."
           
Outsiders share fans' optimism. The Dutch were picked No. 19 in the College Football America Yearbook's preseason rankings and No. 11 in Lindy's National College Football Magazine.

Quarterback
Dutch optimism starts behind center, where Blaine Hawkins (senior, Ankeny) is by the numbers and, arguably, by more subjective measures, the top quarterback in school history. The American Rivers Offensive Player of the Year in 2019, Hawkins has already authored nearly every school passing record in the book. After throwing for a record 3,302 yards and 44 touchdowns in 2019, he was on target in the small-sample-sized spring, completing 43 of 60 passes (71.6%) with two interceptions and six TDs for 447 yards. He's completed 559 of 847 career passes (66.7%) for 7,336 yards and 85 touchdowns. He's also rushed for 1,484 yards on 334 carries with 25 TDs and has racked up 8,820 yards of total offense. A two-time team MVP and team co-captain, Hawkins has started for most of four seasons and received third-team D3football.com All-West Region honors in 2019 as well as CoSIDA Academic All-District distinction last spring.
           
"Obviously Blaine is coming back for his fifth year and we're really excited about that," McMartin said. "He has built a tremendous resume at Central as a playmaker and a leader. He is very comfortable in the offense and he just makes plays. We're excited to see him continue to improve and take his game to yet another level. He makes everyone around him better."
           
Yet topping McMartin's to-do list is identifying a backup. A 6-foot, 8-inch junior, Drew Coffman (Grinnell) missed the spring season while playing baseball and sophomore Brody Bender (Mount Pleasant) was out as well due to injury.
           
"Drew is athletic, has a great arm and is a tremendous competitor," McMartin said. "We're excited to see his progress this fall.
           
"We'll really get our first look at Brody in a team setting his fall and see how he stacks up."
           
But the Dutch could also find an answer from a newcomer.
           
"We're bringing in a good group of freshmen to compete and it will be interesting to see where they go," McMartin said.
           
"Finding a number two and a number three are going to be among the things that is going to make preseason really exciting, seeing how guys step up and how they play. Even going through that first part of the fall, getting that established and creating depth there. You need to have depth at every position and certainly at quarterback."

Tight end/S-back
 McMartin groups tight ends and the hybrid S-back position together as some players will see action in both spots and in some formations the Dutch line up without an S-back. The Dutch had to fill openings at both positions last spring.
           
Senior Billy Friis (West Branch) was the spring tight end starter. He caught just two passes in two games but both were for touchdowns.
           
"Billy looked good in the spring," McMartin said. "He's really improved his blocking and his pass catching. He gives us a lot of versatility."
           
Junior Kevin Boatner (Slidell, La.) also got on the field.
           
"Kevin made strides this year," McMartin said. "He's worked really hard, has continued to improve and can play both tight end and S-back for us."

Senior Aaron Roelfs (senior, Ackley, AGWSR HS) is working his way back to action.

"Aaron is coming off an injury he sustained last spring," McMartin said. "He's worked very hard through the off-season and looks like he'll be ready to help the team at some point this year and we're excited to get him back."
           
Sophomores Kaden Rhinehart (Brooklyn, BGM HS) and Evan Squires (Kilduff, Lynnville-Sully HS) are exclusively S-backs.
           
"They have taken important steps and they're going to work hard to compete this fall," McMartin said. "Both of them are getting stronger and improving their blocking and pass-catching skills."
           
Sophomore Derek Mueller (Griswold) is also getting a look.
           
"Derek did a very good job in his first year," McMartin said. "He's also made some good strides and continues to work on getting stronger and learning our offense better."

Running back
Senior Jason Hopp (Earlham) gained second-team all-conference distinction at running back in 2019 but sat out the spring season to focus on duties as an athletic training student. He rushed for 787 yards on 161 carries with three touchdowns in 2019 while catching 21 passes for 240 yards and two scores.
           
"We expect Jason to be a very dependable, durable running back for us," McMartin said. "He has the ability to play running back or even be an S-back for us, which would give us more flexibility with personnel groups. He runs the ball extremely well and has great vision. He's a hard runner, hard to bring down and very knowledgeable, just somebody that got better each week."
           
In the spring, Isaiah Walk (junior, Buffalo Center, North Iowa HS) emerged as the leading rusher with 149 yards on 28 carries while Carson Boyer (junior, Milledgeville, Ill.) gained 106 yards and two TDs on just 14 carries and sophomore Noah Treimer (Pella, Pella Christian HS) rushed for 85 yards and a score on 14 carries. Treimer, coming off a major injury, has an impressive high school resume. Sophomore Cael Lester (Pleasantville) and junior Evan Kelly (Griswold) also got a look in Hopp's absence.
           
"We were able to really utilize Isaiah, Carson, Noah, Cale and Evan and watch them grow and develop, so this spring was really good for them," McMartin said. "Each of them is a little bit different and they have different skill sets, but they all have really good speed and any of them could be a featured back. It's nice to have that depth and have that competition."
           
Another candidate, sophomore Tristan Wilson (Paulinna, South O'Brien HS), didn't see varsity action but made strides, McMartin said. And Jordan Rusch (Johnston) didn't compete in the spring but practiced well in the fall.
           
"Jordan's got a lot of ability as a runner and a pass catcher," McMartin said. "He's very fast and looked really good last fall."
  Offensive line
Three offensive line starters from 2019 return in senior guard Joshua Mayhew (Aurora, Ill., West Aurora HS), senior Travis Wagner (Mesa, Ariz., Mountain View HS),  and junior center Ian Den Herder (Mesa, Ariz., Desert Ridge HS). But others gained experience in the spring.
           
"We've got some returners but we also have some holes to fill," McMartin said. "We feel really good about the work we got in the spring; we felt like we got a lot better. Our linemen came together and really worked well as a unit. It's going to be exciting for them to continue to move forward."
           
Mayhew was a first-team D3football.Com All-Region selection last spring and a third-team all-West Region honoree in 2019 as well as a second-team all-conference pick. He's a two-time winner of Central's Bruce Wendt Award as the squad's top offensive lineman.
           
"He's done a great job," McMartin said. "He's very strong, very physical. We look for a lot of leadership from Josh this year."
           
Another senior, Griffin Sargent (Ankeny, Centennial HS), took over as the starting right tackle position in the spring in Wagner's absence.
           
"He did a great job and took a really good step from where he was in 2019," McMartin said.
Wagner has returned.
           
"Travis has a been a three-year starter and we look for him to have a great senior season," McMartin said. "He's got the size and length you want as a tackle and we can play him at right tackle or left tackle so he's got a lot of versatility as well."
           
Other senior linemen include a pair of guards from Boone, Colton Anderson and Ty England, tackle Josh Kuiper (Holland, Grundy Center HS) and Jon Zohlmann (Knoxville).
           
"Colton Anderson started for us in the spring and did a really good job," McMartin said. "Both Ty England and Josh Kuiper battled through some injuries this spring but have a lot of ability and a lot of potential. And Jon Zohlmann has continued to improve and work hard. He has some versatility."
           
Den Herder is emerging as a standout at center.
           
"Ian started as a freshman and played very well this past spring," McMartin said. "He looks really good. He's become very smart and has really grown in the position."
           
Junior Tristan Loudin (Spring, Texas, Legacy Prep Christian Academy) can back Den Herder at center.
           
"Tristan has taken another very good step and also can play guard for us," McMartin said.
           
Junior Evan Gray (West Des Moines, Waukee HS) has endured throughout many challenges in his Central career.

"Evan suffered another injury in the spring but battled and worked all summer to put himself in a positioin where he's going to compete for playing time," McMartin said. "He's worked very hard this fall and has been very consistent. He's playing guard currently but could play tackle as well."

McMartin can also look to juniors Cole Campbell (sophomore, Jefferson City, Missouri) and Jacob Sharp (Phoenix, Ariz., Phoenix Christian HS).
           
"Cole is and extremely strong football player and someone who has an opportunity to compete for playing time," McMartin said. "Jacob is one of our strongest lineman and will compete for playing time at guard."
           
McMartin thinks the Dutch found an answer in the spring to the critical left tackle position in Que Baker-McCaulay (junior, Mesa, Ariz., Tempe HS), who moved over from the defensive line. He lettered as a punter as a freshman.
           
"Que did an outstanding job," McMartin said. "We're really excited about his ability. He just gets better with every rep and every practice. He has all the intangibles along with size, speed and athleticism. He could end up being really special at that position."
           
Last year's rookie class flashed some promise.
           
"Tristan Hunt (sophomore, Britt, West Hancock HS) worked hard to get into the two-deep roster at tackle," McMartin said. "We moved Trent Reed (sophomore, Bussey, Twin Cedars HS) from defense over to offense. He has battled through some injuries but has got a lot of tools and can be a very good player. And then Logan Linkvis (sophomore, Waukee) is a center who has gotten better each day and will continue to work hard, battle and improve."
  Receivers
It's easily the deepest group of receivers Hawkins has worked with in his Central career, starting with a pair of talented fifth-year seniors.
           
Erik Knaack (Reinbeck, Gladbrook-Reinbeck HS) received Central's Lanklema-Menning Award as the team's outstanding underclass player in 2019 when he was a second-team all-conference pick. He's all over Central's pass receptions all-time leaderboard. His 67 catches in 2019 are the third-most in school history while his 1,088 yards and 14 TDs rank second.  For his career he ranks sixth in catches (115) and fifth in receiving yards (1,899) and is tied for fifth in TD receptions (23). In limited snaps in the spring, Knaack had six catches for 89 yards and a score.
           
"Erik is a really exciting, dangerous outside receiver who is good with the ball in his hands," McMartin said. "He's really good at going up for the football and just knows how to get himself open. He has great body control and, going into his final season, is ready to take another step."
           
Tanner Schminke (Boone) caught 48 passes for 632 yards with six touchdowns in 2019 while rushing five times for 34 yards. He has 70 career grabs for 955 yards and 10 TDs and the versatile former quarterback was also used as a kick returner with 16 returns for 361 yards (22.6 avg.) in 2019. He was tabbed as the league's special teams player of the week Sept. 30, 2018.
           
"Tanner is a weapon, athletically," McMartin said. "He has all kinds of ability to make plays and has become more consistent. He has really committed himself to working hard and coming into the fall is in the best condition he's ever been."
           
But while Schminke didn't compete in the spring and Knaack was intentionally limited, it didn't take long for some younger talent to emerge. In just two games, sophomore Logan Mont (Aurora, Ill., West Aurora HS) had 17 catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed six times for 67 yards and a touchdown, returned three punts for 29 yards and two kicks for 39 yards. He even punted five times for a 27.0-yard average. He received D3football.com all-region honors and was the league's special teams player of the week April 12.
           
"Logan obviously really played well for us," McMartin said. "He works out of the slot but could also be in the backfield as he's very versatile. He's kind of a Swiss army knife."
           
Meanwhile Hayden Vroom (senior, Pella, Pella Christian HS) returns after catching five passes for 19 yards in 2019 and six for 67 yards last spring.
           
"Hayden had a great spring, got a lot of valuable reps and made a lot of plays," McMartin said. "We expect him to have a great senior year. He's also a tremendous leader. He's great at connecting and helping bring others up."
           
Jeff Herbers (junior, Urbandale, Des Moines Christian HS) forced his way into the picture as well with four catches for 55 yards and a score in the spring.
           
"Jeff Herbers took a really good step," McMartin said. "He played well this spring and we look for exciting things out of him."
           
Juniors Stevie Maddox (Mesa, Ariz., Tempe HS) and Nick Johnson (Coralville, Iowa City West HS) are vying for increased roles.
           
"Nick Johnson is another player that's just gotten better each week and Stevie Maddox, as a transfer from an Arizona junior college, has got a lot of speed and a lot of ability," McMartin said. "He can be dangerous."
           
In addition to Mont, several other sophomores made strong initial impressions. Among them are Grady Burns (Queen Creek, Ariz., Casteel HS), Hunter Wilkinson (Jensen Beach, Fla.) Warren Page (Pella) and Ryan Neu (West Des Moines, Valley HS).
           
"Grady Burns is very similar to Logan," McMartin said. "We're excited to watch both of those guys. Hunter Wilkinson is another receiver who has played a lot in the slot. He catches just about everything and as he gets comfortable with our offense will really battle for playing time. Warren Page has also done a great job. He's got a big body and will continue to get better. And Ryan Neu is one of the fastest players on our football team. He just does an awesome job and really should compete for a lot of playing time and be a be a big factor in our offense."

Defensive line
 There's a veteran core in the defensive line, built around all-America honoree Blade Durbala (senior, Blairstown). Durbala was named to the D3football.com All-America team last spring and to its preseason squad this fall as well as the Division III preseason Starting Lineup and the Lindy's preseason All-America squad. He was a 2019 first-team all-league pick when he made 55 tackles with 10.5 for loss and 4.0 sacks. He was a disruptive force in two spring games with nine stops including 6.5 for loss and 3.0 sacks. He was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week following both games and was the league defensive player of the week April 6.
           
"Blade had a great spring and is coming off a great 2019," McMartin said. "He's your prototypical nose guard from a size and strength standpoint (6-foot-1, 285 pounds) but can also play tackle or defensive end. He has a lot of quickness and is someone that, if he's left in a one-on-one situation can really be a force. I think our other linemen may benefit from teams trying to double-team Blade and get freed up because if he's not doubled, he can really create problems for another team."
           
But others have experience as well with an abundance of other fifth-year seniors back. Matt Glockel (Malvern, East Mills HS) made 28 tackles in 2019, including 16 solos and 8.5 for loss with 2.0 sacks. He added four tackles with 2.5 for loss in the spring.
           
"Matt Glockel had a great spring," McMartin said. "He's gotten better every year and looks to be a force for us at the tackle position. He's got a lot of flexibility, has gotten stronger and has stayed healthy. That's allowed him to show what he can really do".
           
Cody Wonderlich (Pleasant Hill, Southeast Polk HS), made 15 tackles with 2.5 for loss in 2019. Last spring he ranked third on the Central charts with 11, including six solos and 1.0 for loss.
           
"Cody also did a great job for us last spring and is one of our team leaders as well as one of our hardest workers," McMartin said. "He has also developed into a very good football player. We're looking for some exciting things out of Cody."
           
Kirkland Jenkin (Kewanee, Ill., Wethersfield HS) moved from linebacker to defensive end.
           
"He's very versatile," McMartin said. "He can also play what we call the stud position and has done a really great job."
           
Senior Tom Adolph (Coralville, Iowa City West HS) was a rotation regular in 2019, racking up 27 tackles in 2019 with 1.0 for loss and 0.5 sacks.
           
"We see him battling to be a starter," McMartin said. "In essence, he started for us in 2019. We ended up rotating a lot of guys to keep people fresh but Tom just does a great job. He's a worker who just comes in every day, battles and does the right thing. He's fun to watch play."

Senior Joseph Pepe (Gladbrook, Gladbrook-Reinbeck HS) is capable of stepping in as well.

"Joe has shown a tremendous amount of improvement over his four years with our program," McMartin said. "He's gained strength and quickness and is very comfortable with our defensive schemes. He gives great effort every time out and is making a strong impact on our defensive line."
           
Three other seniors were slowed by injury. End and outside linebacker Hunter Maddy (Mystic, Centerville HS) had big numbers in 2019 with 56 tackles, including 27 solos, with 7.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks, four pass breakups and an interception. He was limited in the spring with just three tackles.
           
"We're excited to get him back because he plays with a high motor," McMartin said. "He does a great job and makes a lot of plays. We're a better defense with him out there."
           
Meanwhile, Isaiah Arana (Phoenix, Ariz., Goldwater HS) missed the spring campaign.
           
"He's another senior who is working really hard to factor into our defense this year," McMartin said.
           
Junior Derrick Voss (Cedar Rapids, Xavier HS) has lettered once, seeing limited action as has Bobby Gens (junior, Ames).
           
"Those guys have taken steps to get in the field," McMartin said. "They're guys we know we can count on and help create some great depth."
           
Several sophomores continue to develop including Colby Svestka (Johnston), JD Candela (Fort Sumner, N.M.), Kaleb Parham (Peoria, Ariz., Sunrise Mountain HS) and Tyler Robertson (Norwalk).
           
"All those guys got a lot of reps this spring and did some really good things," McMartin said. "They played really hard. They've got to get stronger and get a few more reps this fall. It's kind of like our quarterback position because how they develop could really help our team. We're going to expect some of these guys to come into important roles this year."
  Linebacker
There are good options at linebacker but McMartin isn't yet sure of the best position fit for each player.
           
"It could be a rotating thing," he said.
           
At the bandit linebacker spot, Gregory Ricketts (junior, Rochelle, Ill., Rochelle Township HS) took on a starting role in the spring, making seven tackles in two games with 0.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup while filling in for Drew Smith (senior, Joliet, Ill., West HS).
           
"Greg Ricketts played a majority of the spring McMartin said. "They got a lot of playing time and both of them responded well. They're smart, they're fast and they're just becoming more and more physical each day."
           
Swart made eight tackles.
           
But Smith is a three-time letterwinner and a multi-year starter before missing last spring. He made 46 tackles in 2019 with 31 solos, 2.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup. He was the conference defensive player of the week once in 2018.
           
"Drew is an extremely smart player," McMartin said. "He's physical and athletic. He does a great job of chasing the ball down. He's also a really good leader who sets a great standard for the guys."
           
Junior Ethan Baur (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) will be a factor.
           
"He played this spring and got some good experience," McMartin said.

And junior Treven Cadwell (Pella, Pella Christian HS) has returned to action.

"Treven is coming off injury," McMartin said. "We're excited to have him back."
           
At the Will linebacker spot, fifth-year senior Cade Humphries (Geneseo, Ill.) returns. A four-time letterwinner, Humphries had 30 tackles in 2018, eight in 2019 and seven last spring.
           
"Cade does a great job," McMartin said. "He brings a lot of physicality and athletic ability. He knows what he's supposed to do and is always in the right place."
           
He was backed by junior Nathan Rahn (Milledgeville, Ill.) in the spring. He had three tackles in two games.
           
"Nate brings a lot of size and strength," McMartin said. "He's another one who will help this football team."

Senior J.R. Zeitler (Bloomfield, Davis County HS) has lettered in a reserve role.
           
"He's battled through some injuries but if he's healthy, will do a really good job at the wheel position. He's got good length and speed and is good in coverage but also against the run, so we want to get him on the field."

Junior David Tchomba (Houston, Texas, Alief Elsik HS) provides another option.

"David will be competing for playing time," McMartin said. 
           
Sophomore Colton Mayberry (Glenwood) got a taste of action in the spring.
           
"Colton can help us," McMartin said. "He's got a lot of skill and talent, now it's just a matter of getting more experience."
           
The middle or Mike linebacker position was open in the spring and Josh Van Gysel (sophomore, Anthem, Ariz., Boulder Creek) made a noisy rookie debut in his opening bid, with a 12-tackle effort against Simpson in April, and 19 tackles overall for the two-game season, including 13 unassisted stops, 1.5 for loss, a sack, two pass breakups and an interception.
           
He was joined by sophomore Tate Hagen (Britt, West Hancock HS), who had three stops and a pass breakup.
           
"They basically came in and started for us," McMartin said. "Both of them did an outstanding job. They're really long, strong and fast."
           
Junior Hunter Olson (Peoria, Ariz., Sunrise Mountain HS) has finally returned from injury.
           
"Hunter is very strong and very physical," McMartin said. "He's always around the ball and makes plays."
           
Sophomore Niko Zarlatanes (Taylor Ridge, Ill., Rockridge HS), could force his way onto the field.
           
"Niko is another guy that got better as the year went on," McMartin said. "He really improved a lot and could be a factor at linebacker and on special teams. Pound for pound, he's one of the more fit guys we have."
           
Senior Reid Taylor (Polo, Ill.) didn't play in the spring but had a strong 2019 campaign with 30 tackles, including 12 solos and 2.5 for loss. He's coming off injury but versatile enough that he could move to another position, McMartin said.
           
"Reid has done an awesome job," he said. "He was injured last spring but in 2019 he was outstanding. He was really coming on strong, not only on defense but on special teams, and has looked great in the off-season.
  Defensive backs
Central had only one returning starter in the secondary heading into the spring, but free safety Brayden Egli (senior, Saint Charles, I-35 HS) provides a foundational piece. After moving from quarterback to the defensive backfield in 2019, he gained second-team all-conference honors and was the team's top tackler with 101. He made 63 unassisted tackles, 4.0 for loss, one interception and five pass breakups. Egli then ranked second in the spring with 14 tackles, including 10 solos and an interception.
           
"Brayden did an awesome job for us in 2019 and has just gotten bigger, stronger, smarter and more comfortable," McMartin said. "He's kind of the quarterback of the defensive secondary. It's really exciting to have him back and I think he'll help our defense become extremely solid. It's good to be strong in the middle of the field.
           
"And Reece Miller (sophomore, Center Point, Center Point-Urbana HS) is another player who got really good experience and will battle for playing time at free safety."
           
Former quarterback Cameron Bannister (junior, State Center, West Marshall HS) also made a successful transition and took over as the starting strong safety in the spring. He made seven tackles in two games.
           
"He did an outstanding job," McMartin said. "He and Grant Boyse (junior, Wellman, Mid-Prairie HS) both looked really good in the spring. They're physical and fast."
           
Boyse had three stops in the spring. Also at strong safety is Austin Burns (sophomore, Williamsburg).
           
"Austin got some experience and did a nice job for us as well," McMartin said. "He also can punt for us and looked good punting in the last game (against Nebraska Wesleyan)."
           
Junior Zach Swart (junior, Cedar Rapids, Prairie HS) also moved to safety from linebacker as did sophomore Brody Klein (Rainier, Wash.), who competed in track and field in the spring but could be a factor on the football field.
           
"They are going to compete for playing time," he said. "They're really strong."
           
Experience is lacking at cornerback but not candidates. Benjamin Crist (junior, Elizabeth, Ill., River Ridge HS) and Jacob Graves (junior, West Branch) were the spring starters. Graves had eight tackles with a breakup and Crist had six stops with two breakups and an interception.
           
"Ben has moved over from running back and has done a great job," McMartin said. "And Jacob did a really good job at corner for us. Both guys are really competitive. They have good ball skills and continue to improve their technical skills."
           
Junior Austin Knaack (Grundy Center) will see the field as well.
           
"He has improved a lot from his freshman year," McMartin said.
           
Junior Dillon Hoit (Solon) is back after missing the spring with injury. And several sophomores gained some experience at cornerback last spring including Colton Hauschild (Tabor, Fremont-Mills HS), Matt Riedemann (Calumet, South O'Brien HS) and Jack Haren (sophomore, Parkersburg, Aplington-Parkersburg HS).
           
"They got a lot of valuable reps in the spring," McMartin said. "They have talent and they've improved a lot so it will be exciting to see how they take that next step and who comes in ready to compete. There's definitely opportunity there for guys that make plays."

Special teams
Central had a big hole in the spring at kicker but it didn't take long for Logan Sunvold (sophomore, Monroe, Southeast Polk HS) to establish himself. He missed his only field goal try but was perfect on 10 extra-point attempts and averaged 62.1 yards on 13 kickoffs with seven touchbacks.
           
"Logan has a great leg with great accuracy and looks to potentially be the guy that can carry on the great legacy of kickers we've had at Central over the years," McMartin said.
           
McMartin is sorting through options at punter. Baker-McCaulay handled the position most of his freshman year and punted twice in the spring, but it may be best for him to focus on his new position in the offensive line. Maddy is returning from injury but could be an answer.
           
"Both of them have big, strong legs," McMartin said.                                              
           
Mont punted six times in the spring for 32.7 yards with one punt inside the 20-yard line and Burns is also a possibility, as is Sunvold.
           
"I'm confident that out of that group, one or two guys will emerge who can really help us in the punting game," McMartin said.
           
Mont can also serve as a returner. He averaged 12.0 yards on three punt returns and 19.5 yards on a pair of kick returns. Bannister, Neu and Wilkinson also returned kicks in the spring.

The freshmen
Last year's rookie class was touted as exceptional upon arrival, but the disruptions created by the pandemic affected the evaluation process. Yet while the spring season was a brief one, the freshmen did have the advantage of several months of preparation instead of having the season opener coincide with the first week of classes.
           
"It wasn't what they envisioned or hoped for in the fall but for the freshmen that worked through that, they really benefited," McMartin said. "They got game reps and they were able to scrimmage. We all have an idea, I think, of what they can do. Let's see what kind of shape they come back in and if they're ready to play. If they are, then I think we'll look back and say the spring was really a good thing for them."
           
McMartin is enthused about the 2021 freshman class as well.
           
"I think we brought in guys at certain positions where we had definite needs," he said. "Guys that are going to come in and could really help us. Depending on how they develop we could look back and say this was a great class."

The conference
Like so much of daily life, charting the American Rivers race is even more complicated due to the pandemic. McMartin anticipates that many schools, like Central, will return a number of fifth-year players, normally an anomaly in the NCAA Division III. Similarly, it's difficult to measure what kind of progress the other league teams made in the spring because Central was the only school able to play its full schedule, and even the Dutch slate was compromised when a third game was converted to a scrimmage.
           
All of which pushes McMartin to double down on his philosophy of focusing on his own squad's progress, and not looking farther ahead than the next snap.
           
"I mean, if we learned anything in 2020, it's that any day you could get an email or a phone call saying this is how we're going to do things now, so we've continued to just operate on a day-to-day basis with hopes that things are going to go well," he said. "You have to be flexible and open-minded because things could change. But obviously having the vaccine has been helpful."
           
Central and Wartburg have been defending league co-champs since 2019 and outsiders view those squads as competitive nationally as well, but McMartin said he learned long ago not to count any other league foe out.
           
But with so many players returning for an extra year, the Dutch are bringing some lofty goals into the season as well.
           
"We're striving to be great, and with a mindset of we have a lot of work to do," McMartin said. "We've got to continue to prepare and prepare for everybody's best game. We know the path we're on is filled with challenges. But it's exciting because we have a lot of players back that are great teammates and great athletes. We know each other well. There's a lot of continuity there, from player to coach, coach to coach and player to player. It's a very experienced group of people who are going in with their eyes wide open.
           
"We know it's going to be a great challenge," McMartin said. "But we also know what we're capable of."
             
Meanwhile, he's focused on a pair of new non-conference foes who open the slate. The Dutch start Sept. 4 at St. Olaf College (Minn.) and kick off the home schedule Sept. 11 against Kalamazoo College (Mich.).
           
"It's exciting to play teams we've never played before," McMartin said. "The staff at St. Olaf does a great job. They're good. They're a really solid football team. We know they're going to be a lot better than they were in 2019. It's going to be a great challenge on the road.
           
"Kalamazoo's coaches also do a great job. They've really taken a lot of good strides and it's unfortunate we couldn't play them last year, but we're excited to play them this fall."

Facilities upgrade
The late-summer completion of the $18-million renovation and expansion of P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium has infused additional energy into the program. After earlier constructing a new football locker room, this summer new team meeting spaces and a new football office suite were completed.
           
"I think the development of the facilities will help our football program," McMartin said. "Our coaches are able to be together in one area now, so our players can come up and meet with multiple coaches and watch film. We can have position meetings there and there will be other spaces where we can watch film as a team. And our players couldn't ask for a better locker room. There's a lot to be excited about."
           
The football program is trending upward as well. It's already one of the nation's winningest as Central hasn't experienced a losing season since 1960. But under McMartin's leadership the focus remains on getting better than the day before.
           
"I feel very good about the path," McMartin said. "I think we have a really good group of players and an outstanding coaching staff that works really well together and is doing this for the right reasons. They're trying to make these players the best football players, the best students and the best people that they can be. And if that's where your heart is and if that's where your focus is, then you have the type of program that you can feel good about. Our standards are high and there's continued room for growth. I hope that the entire time that I'm coaching here there will always be a part of me that will feel like we can keep getting better and continue to grow."