2006 FERRIS STATE FOOTBALL TEAM CAPTAINS NAMED

Four Seniors Will Lead The Bulldogs This Upcoming Gridiron Campaign

Ferris State's football captains for the 2006 season will be (#7) John Vandenberg, (#11) Ryan Kaul, (#21) Jim Skodak and (#5) Mike Klobucher.

The Ferris State University football team has chosen its team captains for the 2006 season as voted on by the team members. The announcement was made by 12th-year head coach Jeff Pierce.

The offensive captains will be senior fullback-H-Back John Vandenberg (Trenton) and senior quarterback Ryan Kaul (Clarkston). Senior cornerback Jim Skodak (Lennon/Corunna) and senior middle linebacker Mike Klobucher (Grand Haven/North Muskegon) will captain the Bulldog defense for the second straight season. All but Vandenberg served as a team captain last fall.

The versatile Vandenberg started in seven of 11 contests last season and rushed for a career single-season high 69 yards on 11 carries with three TD's. He also had three receptions for two yards. A two-time (2004-05) Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) All-Academic honoree, Vandenberg has presently compiled 83 career rushing yards on 12 attempts while garnering seven catches for 36 yards in 27 career outings. The 5-11, 236-pound backfield performer is a three-time (2003-05) FSU Dean's Academic Award recipient.

Kaul returns for his third season as the Bulldogs' starting quarterback. He threw for a career-best 1,924 yards and 14 touchdowns on 144-of-251 passing in nine games en route to receiving all-conference honorable mention laurels. Kaul, who was named FSU's Most Improved Offensive Player in 2005, finished second in team rushing with 280 yards and four TD's on 119 carries. The 6-0, 205-pound signal-caller ranked 33rd among the NCAA Division II national statistical leaders in total offense (244.9 ypg.) and was 39th in passing efficiency (133.0 rating points). He turned in seven 150-yard plus single-game passing performances a season ago, including a career-best 393 yard, three-TD effort at Findlay (10/1). Kaul also passed for 330 yards and four TD's against Northern Michigan (10/15) and 320 yards with two TD's in the season finale (11/5) at Saginaw Valley State. He currently ranks sixth on Ferris' all-time passing leaders list with 3,484 yards and 24 TD's on 270-of-517 passing (52.2 completion pct.) in 30 career contests and is eighth in total offense with 3,981 yards.

A three-time (2003-05) honorable mention All-GLIAC pick, Skodak tied for 11th place in team tackles last season with 28 total stops (18 solos) in 11 games. The three-year starter shared the team lead in interceptions for the second consecutive season with three pass thefts. The 6-0, 202-pound defender paced Ferris in punt returns with 16 for 175 yards and also racked up 199 yards on 15 kickoff returns last fall. Skodak, the 2005 co-winner of FSU's Rich Currie E.P.E.P. (Every Player, Every Play) Award, ranked 38th nationally in punt returns (10.9 ypr.) a season ago. He has posted 116 career tackles (79 solos) with seven interceptions for 26 yards in 36 outings to date. Skodak currently is eighth among the school's all-time punt return leaders with 19 for 211 yards (11.1 ypr.) and is listed 10th in kickoff returns with 38 for 702 yards (18.5 ypr.).

Klobucher, who was both Ferris' Most Valuable Player and and Most Valuable Defensive Skill Player a year ago, paced the squad in tackles for the second consecutive season with 109 total stops (45 solos) in 10 2005 contests. The two-time (2004-05) All-GLIAC Honorable Mention performer recorded 6.5 tackles for a loss of 16 yards while also claiming one pass breakup, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles last season. The 6-2, 248-pound linebacker produced double-digit tackles in five straight games (9/3-10/1) a season ago, including a season-high 17 stops against Indianapolis (9/17). He wrapped up the 2005 campaign ranking 14th nationally in total tackles (10.9 avg.), 45th in solo tackles (4.9 avg.), and 100th in forced fumbles (0.2 avg.). A 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic District IV First-Team selection, Klobucher has twice (2004-05) been named to the GLIAC All-Academic Team and was the team's FSU President's Academic Award winner in 2005 for having the squad's highest cumulative grade point average. Klobucher has presently accumulated 297 career tackles (159 solos) in 32 games, which includes 16.0 tackles for minus 44 yards. His career total tackles figure ranks 18th among the program's all-time leaders to date. Klobucher has been tabbed a 2006 preseason Division II All-American by Don Hansen's Football Gazette and Consensus Draft Services (CDS).

Ferris State opens its 2006 season this Saturday (Sept. 2) against the Kentucky State University Thorobreds in a 1 p.m. (EDT) non-conference matchup at KSU's Alumni Stadium in Frankfort, Ky. The Bulldogs' home opener will be Saturday, Sept. 16, versus the nationally-ranked Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals. The GLIAC contest is slated for a 7 p.m. (EDT) kickoff at FSU's Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Mich.