Coe faces another big game against Wartburg

CEDAR RAPIDS -- The rest of it will be important, too. That's obvious.

But you've got to think who wins today's big Coe-Wartburg football game at Clark Field will be determined by who wins this particular matchup: Coe's top-ranked offense against Wartburgs top-ranked defense.

"That sure jumps out at you," said Wartburg Coach Rick Willis.

"That's kind of how I've been (looking) at it," said Coe Coach Steve Staker. "The number one offense versus the number one defense. That's a premier matchup right now."

These teams have gotten to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the Iowa Conference in different ways.

Coe rides an explosive offense that features the versatile talents of quarterback Brad Boyle. The Kohawks lead the IIAC in scoring offense (39 points per game), total offense (474 yards per game) and passing offense.

Wartburg, meanwhile, has done it defensively. The Knights lead the conference in every defensive statistic you could possibly dream up, including obscure stuff like opponent fourth-down conversions.

Credit an emphasis on getting quicker on that side of the ball, which always has been the way theyve seemed to do it at Wartburg. The Knights are coming off a playoff-less 6-4 season in 2009 and needed change.

"We've gotten back to that and played better defensively," said Willis, who recently won his 100th career game at the school. "It has been working out for us so far. We're coming off an '09 season that was kind of disappointing. We're excited to be playing in a big game.

Coe should be used to that by now. It won a huge game three weeks ago against Central, 37-28, in a matchup of teams ranked in the top 10 nationally in NCAA Division III.

Now its another big one. Coe is rated sixth by d3football.com and eighth by the American Football Coaches Association. Wartburg is No. 24 in the AFCA poll.

Coe is coming off a bye week, which could factor. The Kohawks have been beaten up physically since before the season started, considering All-American defensive end candidate Frank Weymiller and all-conference center Logan Weber suffered injuries that prevented them from playing at all in 2010.

"From a preparation standpoint, having a bye last week was nice," Staker said. "And we've got some injured guys. It appears that extra week really improved some guys physically."

That's all nice and everything, but you all know where this game will likely be won.

"We've got to block them up, plain and simple," Staker said.