Augustana Football Announces Coaching Changes and 2004 Schedule

Augustana Football Announces Coaching Changes and 2004 Schedule

SIOUX FALLS - Augustana College head football coach Jim Heinitz today
announced some additional changes to his coaching staff, and he also
revealed the 2004 football schedule.
Brad Salem, recently promoted as a full-time assistant coach, has been
named the Vikings' new offensive coordinator, while Brad Pole has been
promoted to the team's special teams coordinator and running backs
coach. In addition, Mike Aldrich, a former Augustana assistant and Sioux
Falls Storm head coach, is rejoining the staff as assistant defensive
coordinator and secondary coach.
The most recent coaching changes came after two longtime assistant
coaches, Kent Kessinger and John Kelling, stepped down. Kessinger, the
Vikings' offensive coordinator the past seven seasons and a nine-year
Viking assistant, resigned to become the head coach at Ottawa University
in Ottawa, Kan. Kelling, meanwhile, accepted a position at the
University of North Dakota after spending eight seasons at Augustana.
A final coaching change this offseason saw Don Pierson, who's in his
19th season at Augustana, promoted to defensive coordinator after Mike
Freidel accepted a similar position at the University of South Dakota.
"I am very excited about our coaching staff," said Heinitz, the
winningest coach in school history. "We were able to replace some
outstanding coaches with some equally outstanding coaches."

Salem coached at Augie on a part-time basis last season after
three years as recruiting coordinator and passing coordinator at South
Dakota. He has coached at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and at
Everett High School in Lansing, Mich. He also served as a graduate
assistant at Michigan State University from 1994-96, where he worked
with the quarterbacks and wide receivers under George Perles and Nick
Saban.

Pole recently completed his first season at Augustana. His
coaching career began as secondary coach at Bethel College in St. Paul,
Minn., while completing his master's degree at the University of
Minnesota. Upon leaving the Twin Cities in 1982, Pole traveled to Sioux
Falls and accepted a secondary coaching position at then Sioux Falls
College. In 1983, he was named defensive coordinator and the 1985
Cougar secondary led the nation in passing defense. In 1986, Pole
joined the Augustana football staff, but left to head up the Fellowship
of Christian Athletes in South Dakota. After a year with FCA, he
returned to coaching at Moorhead State University as defensive
coordinator. In his first two seasons, the Dragons won the NSIC
Championship and advanced to the NAIA playoffs.

Pole then moved on to Concordia-Moorhead in 1991 as offensive
line coach and later offensive coordinator. In 1995, Concordia won the
MIAC Football Championship and advanced to the NCAA National Playoffs.
In 1996, Pole was named head football coach at Luther College in
Decorah, Iowa, where he served through 2001.

Aldrich returns to Augustana after spending the 2003 season as a
defensive graduate assistant coach at the University of Louisville.
Previously, he was the Vikings' secondary coach and assistant special
teams coordinator during the 2001 and 2002 seasons. In addition, he was
the head coach and defensive coordinator of the Sioux Falls Storm of the
National Indoor Football League.

Aldrich has also coached at California Lutheran University.
College of the Sequoias and his alma mater, St. Olaf College.

The new coaching staff will face a tough 2004 schedule. The
Vikings will play five non-conference games. Augustana opens the season
on August 28 against defending NSIC champion Concordia-St. Paul. Kickoff
is at 7 p.m., the first of two home night games.

The following week, September 4, Augustana entertains Northern
State, the No. 1 team in total offense in 2003. The Vikings then play
Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota-Crookston on the road before
opening North Central Conference action against defending NCC champion
and Division II national runner-up North Dakota on September 25. That
game is also a 7 p.m. start.

October 23 will be a unique date on the schedule as Augustana
will play at Minnesota-Duluth. The Bulldogs are joining the North
Central Conference in 2004. Another unique date will be the season
finale, November 6, when the Vikings travel to Brookings, S.D., to take
on South Dakota State University in a non-conference. The Jackrabbits
are making the jump from Division II to I-AA in 2004.

"This is a very strong schedule," Heinitz said. "We face
the defending Northern Sun champions in the season opener and then the
No. 1 total offense last season, so in the first two weeks we'll face
two of the top teams in Division II. I am excited that we finish the
year against South Dakota State. This is a rivalry that we've enjoyed
over the years and we hope it continues."

2004 Augustana Football Schedule

Date Opponent Time
AUGUST
28 Concordia-St. Paul 7 p.m.

SEPTEMBER
4 Northern State Noon
11 at Southwest Minnesota State 7 p.m.
18 at Minnesota-Crookston 1 p.m.
25 North Dakota 7 p.m.

OCTOBER
2 at South Dakota 2 p.m.
9 St. Cloud State (Viking Days) 1 p.m.
16 Nebraska-Omaha 1 p.m.
23 at Minnesota Duluth 1 p.m.
30 at Minnesota State-Mankato 1 p.m.

NOVEMBER
6 at South Dakota State 1 p.m.

Home games in bold
Home games played at Howard Wood Field
Start times subject to change

Kevin Ludwig
Sports Information Director
Augustana College
Office: (605) 274-4335
Fax: (605) 274-5298