FOOTBALL

BETHEL BUILT2 0 1 4 B E T H E L U N I V E R S I T Y F O O T B A L L

STEVE JOHNSONHEAD COACH26th YearSteve Johnson is in his 26th year as the head football coach at Bethel University. Under Johnson’s leader-ship, Bethel’s football program has risen to national prominence and has become a perennial contender for the MIAC championship.

Bethel University’s football program is based on the core values of being GRATEFUL for everything, TOUGHNESS in discipline and work, and DEVOTED to our brothers and the King.

AT BETHEL• Amassed 185 career wins and a .700 winning percentage• Ranks fifth among active NCAA Division III coaches in career wins• Six-time MIAC Coach of the Year • Three West Region Coach of the Year Awards• Two American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Region Five Coach of the Year Awards• Minnesota Football Coaches Association 2011 Man of the Year• Finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award in 2010 and 2011• Five MIAC Championships (2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2013)• Advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs eight times in the last 14 years• Two NCAA West Region championships (2007, 2010)• Completed the home schedule undefeated nine times with a 96-29-1 (.766%) record at home• 21 consecutive winning seasons• Ranked in the NCAA Division III Top 25 poll every week since October 10, 2010—47 consecutive polls• 41-8 (.837%) overall record since 2010, including 27-5 in MIAC play• 6-3 record in NCAA playoff games since 2010

INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES UNDER “COACH J”• Six MIAC MVP awards and five since 2001—the most among all MIAC teams since 2000• 10 AFCA All-Americans• Two Mike Stam honorees• Four NFL rookie camp invites since 2012• 140 MIAC First Team All-Conference selections• 48 MIAC Academic All-Conference award-winners since 2010• Four Academic All-Americans since 2008• Four NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships since 2004• Two selections to the 22-member All-State Good Works Team• J. D. Mehlhorn awarded the 2013 Bob Stein Scholar Athlete Award by the Minnesota chapter of the National Football Foundation

PERSONAL LIFE• Married to Susan with three grown children; Cornell and twin daughters, Katie (Englund) and Maddie

JIMMY MILLER ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH/SECONDARY

Jimmy Miller enters his 14th year as an assistant coach on the Bethel staff and 28th year overall of collegiate coaching. In his 11 years as defensive coordinator, Bethel finished first in total defense four times. Moreover, the Royals ranked first or second in the league for defensive scoring in eight of those 11 seasons. Under Miller’s direction,

BU led the MIAC in rushing defense four times and passing defense twice.

Miller has coached 10 first-team All-Conference defensive backs and helped Brandon Carr become an AFCA All-American in 2007. Prior to Bethel, Miller was the head coach at the University of Northwest-ern-St. Paul for 10 years and spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator at the University of Sioux Falls. A 2003 inductee into the Bethel University Hall of Fame, Miller and his wife, Liz, live in Falcon Heights and have three children: Casey (Wahl), Carly, and Beau.

I want to e x t e n d a warm w e l c o m e to you as

you participate in today’s athletic event at Bethel University. My hope is that you will engage in the atmosphere of excitement and passion, as our student athletes strive to honor the Lord through competitive excellence and spirited competition. All of our teams work hard to integrate their Christian faith into their educational and athletic pursuits, as they give remarkable efforts to each of their endeavors on and off the field of play. We are glad to have you on campus and trust that you will enjoy a positive experience throughout the contest.

A note from BOB BJORKLUND,Athletic Director

COACHING RESUME

Bethel University, 1989-presentHead Football Coach (173-78-1)Montana State University, 1987-88Assistant CoachUniversity of Minnesota, 1986 Graduate Asst. - Running BacksSt. Cloud Cathedral, 1982-85Head Football CoachSt. Cloud State University, 1980-81Graduate Assistant

PLAYING EXPERIENCE

Bethel College, 1974-77 HL Richards High School, 1973-74 Bogan High School, 1971-72

EDUCATION

Bethel College, 1979B.A., Physical EducationSt. Cloud State University, 1982M.A., Physical Education/Sports Psychology

HOMETOWN

Chicago, Ill.

COACHING STAFF

MIKE FREGEAU DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR/LINEBACKERS

Mike Fregeau returns for his 16th year coaching at Bethel. After working with the defensive line for six

years, he is in his tenth year working with the outside linebackers and is now the defensive coordinator.

An intense and disciplined coach, Fregeau has developed numerous line-backers. He has coached several all-conference players (26), including 2006 MIAC MVP, Kirby Carr; 2002 NCAA Division III sack leader, Jon Foss; and 2010 linebacker, Cory Sivihla, who was invited to participate in the 2013 Minnesota Vikings Rookie Camp.

Fregeau, a 1984 Bethel graduate, was a standout running back for the Royals during his playing career. He and his wife, Cheryl ’83, live in Andover, Minn. and have two daughters, Casey and Courtney.

RICK MEYER INSIDE LINEBACKERS

Rick Meyer is in his 11th year at Bethel after a two-year stint as defensive coordinator at Concordia Academy in Roseville, Minn. Prior to his time at the

high school level, Meyer worked as a defensive assistant on the Bethel staff while completing his degree and becoming a certified athletic trainer. Meyer, a two-time All-MIAC defensive end for the Royals in 2000 and 2001, was an edge rusher for an exceptional Bethel defense that acquired two conference championships. He finished his playing career at Bethel having compiled 155 tackles and 21.5 sacks.

Rick and his wife, Tara, live in Mahtomedi, Minn., with their daughters, Annika and Nakari. Rick also works as the weight room coordinator and strength and conditioning coach.

ROSS PETTERSEN DEFENSIVE LINE

Ross Petterson, who graduated from Bethel in 2011, begins his first year as a member of the football staff. Petterson finished his two year-career with the Royals with 148 career tackles, including five tackles for loss

and 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, and 11 pass breakups. A 2010 All-MIAC honoree, Petterson led Bethel’s defensive in total tackles (74.0) in 2009 and finished second in 2010 with the same amount of wrap-ups. He and his wife, Kelsey, who is an assistant on the Bethel University women’s soccer staff, reside in Coon Rapids.

ERIC TULBERG ASSISTANT OFFENSIVE LINE

Eric Tulberg begins his third year as an assistant offensive line coach. Tulberg coached three years of summer baseball at the high school level and was a

multi-sport adapted athlete, having been named team captain in each of his disciplines. Tulberg received a degree in physical education —rec-reation, with a minor in coaching from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2011. He now lives in White Bear Lake.

CORNELL JOHNSON OFFENSIVE ASSISTANT

GREG PETERSON OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/WIDE RECEIVERS

Greg Peterson enters his 23rd year on the Bethel University football staff and has been the architect

behind the Royals’ high-powered and diverse offense since taking over as offensive coordinator in 2003. Peterson, the 2011 AFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year, has been a part of an unprecedented 276 consecutive Bethel football games as a player and coach, including every game of head coach Steve Johnson’s tenure.

Since 2010, Bethel has produced the MIAC’s leading rusher, passer, and receiver. Meanwhile, under Peterson Bethel has produced four MIAC MVP’s. Also the wide receivers coach, Peterson has coached eight of Bethel’s Top 10 receivers and 11 All-Conference honorees. A former four-year starter, Peterson and his wife, Alison, live in White Bear Lake with three children: Gunnar, Wyatt, and Marin.

PAUL SWAN TIGHT ENDS

Paul Swan returns for his 13th year on Bethel’s staff, but his second year as tight ends coach, after a long teaching and coaching career at Stevenson High

School in Lincolnshire, Ill.

During Swan’s tenure as the running backs coach, Bethel produced two All-Americans: Phil Porta ’06 and Logan Flannery ’10. Porta and Flannery, along with Mike Johnson ’03, who was named an All-American in 2001, hold virtually all of Bethel’s rushing records. Porta and Flannery are the top two rushers in MIAC history with 5,235 yards and 5,303 yards, respectively.

A graduate of Trinity International, “Swanee” and his wife, Kathy, reside in Buffalo Grove, Ill., and have two grown children, Eric and Aimee (Walford).

SCOTT KIRCHOFF QUARTERBACKS

Scott Kirchoff returns for his tenth season coach-ing Bethel’s quarterbacks. A four-year starter for the Royals, Kirchoff set numerous conference and team

passing records while leading the Royals to three national playoff appearances. Kirchoff holds career passing records for attempts (1,041), yards (8,108), completions (636), and touchdowns (65).

A three-time All-MIAC selection, Kirchoff is also the third all-time MIAC leader in passing yards (6,645).

A 2003 Bethel grad, Kirchoff holds a degree in secondary history education and works with transfer students in the Bethel admissions office. He and his wife, Megan, live in White Bear Lake, Minn.

CHAD RICHARDS OFFENSIVE LINE

Chad Richards begins his fourth season with the Royals, but second as the offensive line coach. Previously, Richards spent five years as the defensive

line coach for Billings West High School in Billings, MT. Before his time in Billings, Richards spent seven seasons coaching offensive line.

He was a three-year starter and All-MIAC offensive guard for Bethel from 1994-1997. Richards received a degree in athletic training from Bethel in 1998 and earned a master’s degree in kinesiology.

Coach Richards and his wife, Sara, live in Maple Grove, Minn., and have three sons, Zach, Caden, and Eli.

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BETHEL ROYALS FOOTBALLBY THE NUMBERS

2013’s MIAC Championship marked the fifth time since 2000 that Bethel has been crowned conference champions.

Bethel’s automatic bid to the 2013 NCAA Division III Playoffs proved to be the Royals’

eighth trip to the postseason since 2000.

4Erik Peterson’s Jim Christopherson MIAC MVP award was Bethel’s fourth since 2007 and fifth since 2001. No other team has had more league MVPs since the turn of the century.

21The Royals’ 12-1 record in the 2013 campaign was the 21st consecutive winning season. No other team

throughout the league has accomplished this feat.

185Head Coach Steve Johnson has amassed a career record of 185-79-1 over 26 years with the Bethel Royals. Johnson ranks No. 5 among active DIvision III coaches in all-time wins.

2Two graduates from the 2013 squad, including

Seth Mathis and Mitch Hallstrom, were invited to the Minnesota Vikings Rookie Camp last summer.

Four former Royals have received an invitation in the last three years.

D3football.com ranked Bethel No. 7 in the 2014 Preseason Top 25 Poll. The Royals have been among the nations Top 25 teams since October 9, 2010—a span that has lasted nearly four years.7

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