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Nov 19, 2009 7:10 pm US/Central
Turnaround Tommies: Playoff Berth For STU Football
by Eric Nelson
ST. PAUL (WCCO) ―
There is a buzz on the University of St. Thomas campus this week -- a buzz created by a Tommies football team going to the Division III playoffs for the first time since 1990.
"Kids are excited, the campus is excited, the whole community is behind us. So it's fun and as I've said before it's a great step heading in the right direction and they're a lot of happy people around here," said Glenn Caruso, St. Thomas Football Coach.
The architect of this Tommie turnaround is second-year coach Caruso. His energetic style has revived a program that was dormant before he came to St. Thomas.
"I don't think a lot of people thought this would be accessible in year two coming from a 2-8 team to go 9-1 in the second year and go to the playoffs but we all thought it wasn't going to be too far off," said Caruso.
"He's kind of lit a fire under all of us. Everyone just buying into the team concept, everyone like doing stuff for each other and just that energy and passion that he brings to the program," said St. Thomas running back Ben Wartman.
The 10th-ranked Tommies are 9-1 this season. They are paced offensively by Wartman, who has run for 1271 yards and 17 touchdowns, and quarterback Dakota Tracy who has been solid since replacing the injured Greg Morse.
Knocking off the undefeated Fighting Scots of Monmouth (Ill.) College will be a monster challenge for the Tommies. In 10 games this season, Monmouth has scored 65 touchdowns.
"They're exceptional; they're a 10-0 team. It's a very good team and we got our work cut out for us," said Caruso.
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