*As this is our first DIII football preview we wanted to share the following context – Division III programs can not offer any athletic scholarships, so many players fund their tuition using financial aid and academic scholarships. The top DIII programs will often offer additional Merit Scholarships to reduce the cost of attendance. The level of merit scholarships varies by school, and is obviously influenced by the size of the College and endowments and donations that each school has available.
The schools that put an emphasis on athletics with merit scholarship support I call the Power 5 schools of DIII. The barometer I like to use to gauge who is a likely committed member of the Power 5 of DIII football is by looking at the average roster size. There are 224 Division III football teams nationwide and the average roster size is around 107 players.*
Coe College Football is coming off two very successful seasons with back-to-back NCAA Division III playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024. Coe’s record over the last four years in the rugged American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) of 33-9 has been a very strong run for the Coe College Kohawks.
At Sports Guys Iowa we have a number of former Kohawk Football players on our team. They are proud Coe men who played on the 2016 Coe College team. That is the only Coe football team to win 11 games since Coe started playing football in 1891 (Coe has been playing football for 135 seasons). So, we are homers when it comes to the Kohawks, and we will do our best to be objective.
The current run of Coe College success has been led by one of the strongest DIII defenses in the nation giving up an average of less than 14 points a game the past three years.
That Defensive performance caught the attention of the DIII football community as Coe College Associate Head Coach & Defensive Coordinator Cody Baethke was named the American Football Coaches Association DIII Assistant Coach of the Year in 2024.
Head Coach Tyler Staker enters his 10th season in charge of the Kohawks (51-23 overall record, 39-17 in conference play) including three NCAA Playoff appearances. The Kohawks have finished runner-up in the A-R-C in three consecutive seasons and inside the top three in each of the last four seasons.
The best place to start with a preview is to share the numbers over the past 4 years on the Coe program.
When you look at the statistics, what jumps out is the stifling defense giving up less than 60 yards rushing per game the last three years, and the over 30 PPG offense. The point differential over last two years clearly shows why the Kohawks are coming off back-to-back Division III NCAA Appearances.
The preseason coaches poll for the A-R-C has not been released yet, but I anticipate Wartburg will be chosen as the preseason choice to win the conference and it will likely have Central and Coe in the top 3. The University of Dubuque (UD) will be right there for preseason consideration. The A-R-C top four teams for the last four years have been Wartburg, Coe, Central, and UD. Wartburg has won the last three conference titles (2022-2024).
Coe has the following returning all-conference players – Luke Schumacher (OL – Senior – First Team – Waukee NW Iowa), Jeron Senters (WR – Junior – Second Team), Braiden Damhoff (OL – Sophomore – Honorable Mention)
Coe was king enough to share some key players to watch for our preview – Jeron Senters (Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Iowa) – tied the single-season touchdown reception record with 12 in 2024 – had 873 yards & 65 catches
Brady Kelly stepped in the starter’s role in the NCAA Playoff at Bethel and turned in a solid effort, going 17-of-27 with 254 yards and 2 TDs & will return for his Junior season.
Henry Ryan (Mt. Vernon, Iowa) and Brant Tedrow (Van Buren, Iowa) are two of the remaining impact players from the 2024 Kohawk defense which was one of the best in the nation – Ryan had 50.0 tackles and two picks in his sophomore season while Tedrow had 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.
The 2025 Fall Schedule shapes up to be another challenging fall for the Kohawks.
This Kohawks kick off the season on Thursday September 4th, in Mt. Vernon when Coe College meets Cornell College in the “oldest college football rivalry game” west of the Mississippi River.
The annual showdown which started in 1891 (yes, that is not a typo) will be by my count the 135th meeting between the two teams this year in Mt. Vernon. It will be the head coaching debut of Iowa High School Hall of Fame Coach Curt Ritchie leading the Rams. Coe is shooting for their 25th straight win in the 135th meeting of the two teams.
In Week 2 Coe College goes up the Mississippi River to play UW-River Falls – River Falls (#19 in the preseason D3football poll) has been right there in the WIAC since 2021. They have put up 9 wins, 7 wins, 7 wins, and 7 wins the past 4 years and have been agonizingly close to the playoffs. Now with 48 teams, those 7-8 win years will all but guarantee a playoff berth. I’ve also been at Falcon Field in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it is a very tough place to play. The Kohawks will have their hands full, and it will be a real test.
The other big games are @ Wartburg on September 7th (Wartburg is number #9 in the preseason D3football poll nationally). Playing @ University of Dubuque on November 1, and @Central College in the final game of the regular season will be very tough contests.
Coe College Roster Overview – 129 Players on the Fall 2025 Roster – 57 Former Iowa High School Players playing for the Kohawks to follow closely this fall are listed below. Coe has 58 returning players and a large incoming freshmen class.
Coe invests in their football program and I consider them a Power 5 level DIII program.
In looking at the schedule if I had to set a floor, I would say 6 wins with a ceiling of 8, possibly 9 wins. Coe is a top-tier DIII program (Power 5) in the Midwest and the very tough A-R-C. The fact that the four circle the calendar games I mentioned above are all away games @UW River Falls, @Wartburg, @UD and @Central, means it is likely the most challenging schedule for expected big four A-R-C teams this fall.
Coach Staker shared these quotes, “We’re incredibly excited about the upcoming season as we embrace an opportunity to build within our program. Our recent success has set the foundation for our younger athletes, who bring fresh energy and talent to the field. At the same time, the veteran leadership that remains is vital for our success in 2025. Their experience and guidance will be crucial in helping our younger players adapt and thrive.
We’re focused on building on our achievements and integrating this exciting new talent to ensure that Coe College football continues to thrive. The future is bright, and we can’t wait to see what this team will accomplish together!”
That quote to me, speaks to a football program that is a Power 5 reload program. Coe has proven recruiting, great coaching, and support from the college administration to maintain a strong program.
Can the Kohawks get back for the third straight year to the NCAA Division III playoffs? It is going to fun to watch how it all plays out as the A-R-C will be very strong again this fall.
As always, we appreciate your comments and support.
