In modern day American football, there are a few adages which time and again describe superior teams. For instance, there's the old "offense sells tickets, but defense wins games" argument, an oft repeated phrase when addressing any powerhouse outfit.

But lost somewhere in the shuffle of such lofty gridiron ideals are the more general, if not more compelling, sayings that permeate any locker room. And as anyone on the St. Olaf football team will tell you, "a football team needs two competent quarterbacks to win."

Sound like overkill? You'd be pretty hard-pressed to convince the Oles this simple saying isn't true. Especially after watching freshman Brian Senske, with nary a college start to his name, direct the Oles to a whopping 508 yards of offense in defeating Hamline University 28-18 in St. Paul last weekend. Senske was nothing short of fantastic, completing 17-28 passes for 260 yards, while even rushing for a touchdown, and leading the Oles to their highest offensive output of this young season. "Senske played with a lot of poise" commented junior tight end Marc Davies, "He really showed a lot of the qualities of a seasoned vet." Junior receiver Zach Kent, who reeled in seven of Senske's completions, concurred, adding, "he showed surprising composure for a freshmen."

It was a welcome sight for the Oles, considering starter Joe Hammond had been injured during the game against Saint John's University, leaving Senske as the only option at the quarterback position. "The coaches were pretty nervous," said junior wide receiver/defensive back Jake Rath, "but the team was confident in Brian, especially after how he had played against St. John's."

While Senske was excellent in his first collegiate start, he was aided by a running game that amassed 248 yards on the ground, led by junior Manuel Spreigl's 174 yards and two touchdowns. "We really showed an ability to move the ball when we had to," said Davies. "We were comfortable because we were basically able to do anything we wanted to offensively."

Yet defensively, the Pipers presented many challenges to the Ole secondary, including a series of aggressive running and passing plays. "They really picked up their play in the second half," said Rath, about Hamline's offense, "but we came up with the stops when we needed to." Junior Doug Wolgamot intercepted two passes, and junior Cory Dingels added a third interception, pacing the Oles' defensive efforts. "I was a little nervous a few times late in the game," said Kent, "but our defense kept on stepping up at crucial times to keep us ahead."

Now sporting a 2-1 record heading into this weekend's Homecoming tilt with Augsburg College, the Oles believe the time is now. "We feel we can realistically win all of our remaining games," said a confident Davies, "but we also realize that the next four weeks will be the key to our season." Following this Saturdays meeting with the Auggies, the Oles will face Bethel College, the University of St. Thomas and Concordia-Moorhead College in succession, a murderous lineup of opponents for any MIAC school. Yet despite the challenges of the coming weeks, there is little doubt that Ole football is putting together the pieces of a rapidly improving puzzle. "The next few weeks will definitely be key," said Rath, "but right now we are concentrating on Augsburg."

So what can we expect from the Auggies come Saturday? "Augsburg is a good team," said Davies. "They play very aggressively on both sides of the ball." Rath added, "Defending them is always a challenge because they run so many different formations and plays. But we're feeling good about our chances."

In any case, the Oles head into Saturday's game with renewed enthusiasm. "It's always a little interesting when you start a freshman at quarterback," conceded Rath, "but Brian seems to have adjusted well and is responding to the challenge." Kent agreed, adding, "Brian is very confident in himself and the rest of the team. We should be ready to roll against the Auggies come Saturday."

With a large crowd of students, faculty, parents and alumni expected to fill Manitou Field, rolling an Ole boulder right over the Auggies would be a more than welcome sight.