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National title in hand, it’s finally time for North Central to change QBs

North Central football has won 68 of its last 70 games and three NCAA Division III titles. But there is one thing the Cardinals do less often than lose games:

Change quarterbacks.

North Central has had exactly two starting quarterbacks over the past eight seasons. Two-time Gagliardi Trophy winner Luke Lehnen started every game for four years, as did Broc Rutter before him. Lehnen finished his career Sunday by throwing for 298 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 41-25 victory over Mount Union in the Division III championship game.

Coach Brad Spencer acknowledged junior Calvin Lavery, this year's backup, is a legitimate candidate to start next season. But the coaching staff is also looking around for the next potential four-year starter. North Central recruited Lehnen out of downstate Chatham Glenwood High School, while Rutter (Neuqua Valley) spent a season at Indiana State, then transferred.

Plainfield North graduate Demir Ashiru, who appeared in one game with Ferris State this season as a redshirt freshman quarterback, announced Monday on social media he’s transferring to North Central with four years of eligibility remaining.

“We're on the search for that next guy to hopefully do the same thing because it makes life a lot better,” Spencer said. “It allows you to build an offense, that's the beauty of it. And the nature of our level, it's really hard to get a stud quarterback to come sit for a year or two. It's going to be a great competition.”

Lehnen arrived on campus in the fall of 2020, when there was no Division III season due to the pandemic. The four seasons he played all ended in the Stagg Bowl. North Central lost the title game in 2021 and '23, which made Sunday's battle even more important.

“Our main goal was to come back and win another title, even the score (2-2),” Lehnen said after the game. “It's also important winning this game to show the younger guys what North Central football, what we want it to look like. We want to try to leave it better than we found it.”

Lehnen finished his career as the all-division NCAA leader in combined rushing and passing touchdowns with 213, most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (all 59 he played in) and passing efficiency (211.9).

He tied the all-division record for career touchdown passes with 162, sharing that mark with John Matocha from Division II Colorado School of Mines. The FBS leaders in career touchdown passes are Case Keenum and Dillon Gabriel with 155.

“When you sit back and look at what Luke has accomplished with his teammates, it's pretty remarkable,” Spencer said. “I think in a lot of ways it probably flies under the radar just a little bit, I think because we have so many great things going on on our football team.”

Another item at the top of North Central's to-do list is rebuilding the offensive line, which included two four-year senior starters in Sam Pryor (Kaneland) and Jeske Maples.

The rest of the skill positions should be in good shape. Junior Luke Skokna (Hinsdale Central) was the leading receiver this season, and had 3 catches for 94 yards in the Stagg Bowl. Sophomore Jack Rummell and junior Myles Walton caught touchdowns Sunday. Grad student Jacob Paradee finished his career with 2 touchdown receptions.

Leading rusher Joe Sacco (St. Edward) will be moving on, but backups Charles Coleman (Oswego) and Sean Allen can return. Coleman had a 66-yard touchdown run against Mount Union. Running back Donovan McNeal (Warren) was offensive freshman of the year in the CCIW, then didn't carry the ball in the playoffs because the veterans stayed healthy.

On defense, the Cardinals lose leading tackler B.J. Adamchik at linebacker, but the majority of starters can return, including CCIW co-defensive player of the year John Sullivan (Lakes), a lineman, and hard-hitting safety Brayden Garrigan.

A couple of moments stood out in the Stagg Bowl. After losing a fumble on the opening possession, North Central trailed for the first time all season when Mount Union went ahead 7-0. That was the Raiders' only lead, however.

Then with 5:34 remaining and the Cardinals ahead 34-25, Spencer decided to go for it on fourth-and-one at their own 32-yard line. Sacco gained 5 yards and North Central went on to finish a 92-yard touchdown drive to seal the outcome.

“Everybody on the field, we were all yelling at the sideline, 'We've got this,'” Lehnen said. “We are going to get this 1 yard, nothing is going to stop us from that. Just a bunch of gutsy calls and gutsy plays from our guys.”

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