Ichabods speak at Washburn football media day

The Division II college football season kicks off in just three weeks when the Washburn Ichabods visit their arch rivals, the Emporia State Hornets, for a season-opening edition of the Turnpike Tussle.

Following a difficult and disappointing season in 2023, coach Craig Schurig and the Ichabods are seeking a hot start to the season after a productive offseason across the roster.

“Our older kids did a really good job this summer and the younger guys look a year better,” Schurig said, adding: “They’re so much more confident than we were even in the last game of the year last year.”

Schurig is entering his 23rd year at the helm of the Washburn program, and his squad enters the year with some of the best overall speed and athleticism in the MIAA. That’s an especially exciting development for sophomore starting quarterback Sam Van Dyne.

“If we do it right, I don’t know how they can stop us,” Van Dyne said. “It makes my job easy, I can just kind of catch it, flip it out there and they can score touchdowns.”

Van Dyne enters the year as Washburn’s presumed starter under center, but he spoke this week, and Schurig spoke earlier this summer, about how much positive competition there’s been in the quarterback room.

Defensively, plenty of veterans and returning experience will fill out the two-deep for Washburn in 2024. After a season ravaged by injuries a year ago, that unit will be at full strength when the season begins late this month, aided by a bevy of underclassmen who saw increased playing time filling in for injured veterans.

Washburn was picked ninth out of 10 teams in both the MIAA preseason media and coaches polls.

To hear what Ichabods coach Craig Schurig said at Washburn media day, click here.

To hear what quarterback Sam Van Dyne said at Washburn media day, click here.

For coverage and play-by-play of every Washburn football game, tune in to Country 106.9.