CHADRON – After having what the coaches believe was an excellent preseason the past three weeks, the Chadron State football team opens its schedule Thursday evening with the first of two trips to Missouri. The first foe is Missouri Science and Technology, located at Rolla in about the middle of the state. Kickoff will be at 5:30 MDT.
 
On Saturday, Sept. 12, the Eagles will visit the Missouri State Bears in Springfield for a 2 o'clock start.
 
Head coach Jay Long and his staff are confident that the Eagles, who are coming off consecutive 8-3 seasons after being 9-3 in 2012, will be solid again this fall, capable of being an RMAC contender.
 
Long said the Eagles are young in places, but have both size and speed in the positions where those traits are needed. He praises the players for working hard and paying attention to detail. No injuries have occurred during fall workouts that will keep anyone from making the trip, he added.
 
This will be the third straight year that Chadron State and Missouri S&T, which has more than 8,000 students, have opened against one another. The Eagles are 2-0 in the short series, winning 40-34 in double overtime in Rolla two years ago and 42-25 at home last fall.
               
Both of the previous games featured more than 1,000 yards in total offense, but neither team may be quite as potent this fall.
 
The Eagles graduated their all-time leading passer, Jonn McLain, 1,000-yard rusher Michael Madkins and Mike Lorenzo and Sam Parker, the players who ranked one-two in the votes for the all-conference offensive linemen last fall.
 
Meanwhile, the Miners graduated three players who combined to catch 125 passes for 1,618 yards a year ago and three-time all-conference choice Forrestal Hickman, who was in the San Diego Chargers' training camp with CSC standout Danny Woodhead this summer.
 
While S&T has no seniors listed as probable starters on offense this year, Chadron State has four—receivers Zac Bargen, Danny O'Boyle and Kyle Vinich, along with tackle Daniel Sotelo.
 
Redshirt freshman TD Stein is replacing McLain at quarterback. He's appeared capable and confident during contact sessions. Offensive coordinator Chris Stein, also TD's father, says it will be a bonus if the Eagles can mount a strong running game.
 
He believes it will happen. He likes the line that Long has put together and is impressed with the running backs, who come in various sizes. Junior Cody Paul is 5-6, 171 pounds, sophomore Derek Jackson is 5-9, 192 and redshirt freshman Kevin Coy is 6-0, 212.
 
TD Stein and his primary backup, sophomore Matt Vinson, will have an array of receivers to catch passes. Several also will fill special teams' slots.
 
Defensively, coordinator Jeff Larson believes this year's starting group is the best of the four he's worked with at CSC. He said the line, although young, is more agile and explosive this year and says senior linebackers Dylan Furrier and Clay Cundall are "great leaders who will make sure everyone is lined up correctly." 
 
Larson also said the veterans in the secondary are "capable of making big plays," and anticipates they will be tested Thursday night because the Miners reportedly have good speed.  
 
Like Stein, the S&T quarterback is young. Lamar Wilkes, 6-0, 170, took over in the fourth game last fall as a true freshman and completed 79 of 182 passes for 965 yards and six TDs.
 
The Miners, who were 4-6 last fall, are welcoming the return of running back Zenel Hudson, who played in just three games last fall before being injured. He led the Miners with 520 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 2013.
 
S&T started nine seniors on defense against CSC last fall. This year, just two seniors are listed as starters. One is Josip Juric, a 6-2, 270-pound nose tackle and the Miners' only returning all-conference player. 
 
Linebacker is expected to be a solid position for the Miners. The probable starters include Rob Cidlik, the leader in the middle last year before being injured, and his replacement, Dillon Bowman.
 
Two of the starters in the S&T secondary transferred from California jucos last spring.
 
When the Eagles played in Rolla in 2013, they pulled out a spine-tingling victory. CSC tied the score 27-27 with 44 seconds remaining when McLain hit Cody Roes with a 12-yard pass to cap a 76-yard drive.  Both teams scored a touchdown and kicked the extra point in the first overtime. The Eagles' Lane Haller returned an interception 79 yards for a touchdown in the second OT for the 40-34 win. 
 
Each team had almost exactly 500 yards of offense.
 
Last year, the Eagles built a 21-0 lead and won 42-27 at home. CSC finished with 32 first downs and 563 total net yards. The Miners had 29 first downs and 486 yards