Archive for the ‘NAIA Football’ Category
I’m At It Again: Culver-Stockton’s Choice of Athletic Director: Bad Idea – PYIR SportsCenter Miniblog
From The Archives of Politics & YouTube In Review: Culver-Stockton’s Athletic Director Speaks Out
Posted October 6, 2008 at 09:12
I sent Culver-Stockton athletic director Rod Walton an email regarding the C-SC Wildcat football team. You saw before what their career record was (source: John Schild, sports information director) and it was upsetting. But in a four-season span, head coach Christian Guenther has not exactly proven himself Wildcat material and has probably angered many Wildcat fans, like myself. So after Saturday’s Homecoming game against Benedictine College and suffers yet another loss, I decided to email Walton about Guenther and here is how it went:
Ever since I started paying attention to Wildcat football when I first
came to Canton, I thought that Christian Guenther, who at the time was a
new coach to Canton, would have the potential to take Culver-Stockton to
new heights.But in the middle of his fourth season, he isn’t proving anything but just
dying to be fired as head coach.I am a little surprised that your department isn’t making any demands out
of Guenther like winning more than one game a season or at least winning a
HAAC title.Are you guys being a little bit too lenient on his coaching skills?
I hate being critical of football teams but since Guenther made a negative
milestone of losing 30 games in his Wildcat coaching career.You need to advise him that he needs to change what strategies he has, as
they are not even effective, or fire him.I don’t think Canton can suffer another collegiate losing season again.
So, when I check my email today, I received this response from Walton:
Jake, I appreciate your email and interest in Culver-Stockton football. Yes, we too would like to have a winning football program and we are constantly in conversation with our staff, administration and players to reach that goal. We also look at graduation rates, retention, grade point average and a number of other aspects of the program.
What we need during the season and always are loyal supporters who encourage the team and support our efforts. Thanks again for your input.
In a way, he agrees and he somewhat disagrees. That is the dilemma all athletic directors have to face, especially in the “farming division of the NCAA” known as the NAIA.
Editor’s Note: It was not much longer until Walton resigned as C-SC’s athletic director. Another Guenther “supporter”, college president Dr. William Fox, would soon be giving notice to the C-SC board of trustees that he may plan to serve as president of his college alma mater. The alumni and sports boosters are who are left, but with Fox and Walton leaving, Christian Guenther’s career as Culver’s head coach of the football program may have come to a close.
From The Archives of Politics & YouTube In Review: Forget It, Culver’s Year Is History
Posted October 4, 2008 at 16:08
When you lose yet another Homecoming match, you know your Culver-Stockton Wildcats have failed Canton, once again. The Wildcats drop to 0-5 (0-4 HAAC) after a loss to Benedictine College by a score of 42 to 20. This was yet to be another disappointment since head coach Christian Guenther obviously didn’t take my coaching advice (or my collective views combined from many coaches outside the HAAC).
I wrote athletic director Rod Walton on the topic, since with this loss makes Guenther reaching his 30-loss mark, when he could well be at the exact flip side of the equation. A response will come within the week.
If C-SC alumni, sports boosters and sports staff cannot make demands for Guenther to rely upon, then he needs firing! Compare him to failed leadership in Washington. You don’t re-elect a politician that has not performed well after four years. The same with Guenther: Four years of failed coaching don’t deserve another season.
That choice is up to you, Canton & Culver-Stockton.
Culver-Stockton Football Wildcats Winless in 2008
After beating beaten by #5 nationally-ranked MidAmerica Nazarene 59-22 last Saturday, it closed Culver-Stockton’s season at 0-11 (0-10 HAAC), making things worse for coach Christian Guenther. With athletic director Rod Walton leaving his post, it will be hard for Guenther to keep his job for the 2009 season.
The Pioneers of MidAmerica Nazarene were ahead 14-0 after two plays on the quarter, a 69-yard William Griffin punt and a 16-yard return on a blocked punt quickly make the score 28-0, making things harder for the Wildcats to make a comeback with only 11 minutes left in the first half.
It was 35-0 in favor of MNU when Culver’s Adrian Allen scores on a 1-yard run with 4:44 left in the half. Allen finished the day with 87 rushing yards. Culver makes the field goal.
MNU scores yet again, making it 42-6 on the next possession. However, the WIldcats attempted a comeback when Jeremy Osborne scores one of his two touchdowns on the afternoon on an 11-yard pass from quarterback Justin Gumm.
Gumm completed 22 of 32 passes for 193 yards in the game with one interception.
A late TD in the half came again from MNU, making the score at the half at 56-14.
Another Osborne TD would make the score 56-22, with Culver making the two-point conversion.
A MNU field goal by Eric Hronek makes the score 59-22 with 2:23 left in the third quarter to account for the final score. Neither team scores in the fourth quarter.
For the soon-departing Osborne, he ends his career with six receptions for a team-high 62 yards. Dustin Boyd had four catches for 39 yards. Defensively, Brent Holtrop left the team with 10 tackles while Tyler Buckman added nine tackles and an interception.
