Coach Jerry Olszewski has himself seven Preseason All Americans on the USA College Football Preseason All-America team.

The Augustana College head coach enters his third year at the helm and this may be his most talented team.

Here is the official press release.

NEW YORK – Seven members of the Augustana football team have been named to the USA College Football Preseason All-America team. Trey Heid, Brian Long, Chris Mathieu, Brandon Mohr and Lucas Wainman earned second team honors. Matt Heller and Jason Greenway were named honorable mention.

Heid, an All-NSIC Second Team selection last season, provided the Vikings with a stellar sophomore campaign as he finished the season with 25 touchdown passes (third in the NSIC) while throwing just four interceptions on the season (fewest amongst all starting quarterbacks in the NSIC). Heid, a 6-foot-2, 192-pound quarterback from Lakeville, Minn., completed 185 of 331 passes (55.9 completion percentage) and compiled a 143.5 efficiency rating which ranked fifth in the NSIC. Heid racked up 2,564 passing yards (fifth most in NSIC) and tossed two or more touchdown passes in eight of 10 games played this season, including six against Wayne State on Oct. 18 which tied a single game record at Augustana. Heid also tied an NCAA record for touchdown passes in a quarter in that game, throwing five of his six touchdown passes in the second quarter alone. He also rushed for 251 yards and three touchdowns on the season.

Long, a 6-foot-3, 254-pound center from Pierre, S.D., earned All-NSIC Second Team honors in 2014 and enters the 2015 season having played 33 consecutive games. He helped Augustana set a single season record with 5,124 yards of total offense last season. The Vikings averaged 465.8 yards of total offense this season, including 289.9 passing yards and 175.9 rushing yards. Augustana had the third-best passing offense in the NSIC this season and averaged 34.5 points per game which ranked sixth amongst NSIC teams.

Mathieu, a 6-foot-5, 328-pound right tackle from Humboldt, S.D., was named All-NSIC Second Team last season after starting all 11 games in 2014. He helped an offense that set a single season record with 5,124 yards of total offense. The Vikings averaged 465.8 yards of total offense this season, including 289.9 passing yards and 175.9 rushing yards. Augustana had the third-best passing offense in the NSIC this season and averaged 34.5 points per game which ranked sixth amongst NSIC teams.

Mohr was also a second team All-NSIC selection last season after leading the team with 106 tackles, which ranked fifth in the NSIC. The 6-foot-0, 240-pound linebacker has played in 32 games the last three seasons for the Vikings and has been a steady force in the middle. He finished the 2014 season with 47 solo tackles and recorded 3.5 tackles for loss. Mohr picked up one interception and one fumble recovery on the season and reached double-digits in tackles six times this season. He registered a career-high 16 tackles against Minnesota State on Oct. 25. Mohr has been named All-NSIC Second Team two straight seasons for the Vikings.

Wainman, a 6-foot-0, 216-pound kicker/punter from Oviedo, Fla. earned All-NSIC second team honors in 2014 after finishing second in the NSIC hitting 12 field goals. He was 12 of 19 (63.2 percent) in field goal attempts and averaged 1.09 field goals per game on the season. Wainman hit 42 of 47 (89.4 percent) of his extra point attempts and ranked fourth in the NSIC in kick scoring averaging 7.1 points per game. He drilled a season-high 52-yard field goal against Minnesota Crookston on Sept. 6 and was 7 of 8 field goals between 30-39 yards. Wainman was called on to punt 44 times this season and averaged 38.1 yards per punt, including a career-long 60-yard boot. He booted six punts of 50-plus yards and landed 17 of his 44 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Wainman pinned opponents deep off the tee as well averaging 59.5 yards per kickoff and tallying 29 touchbacks on the season.

Greenway earned All-NSIC honorable mention honors as a return specialist last season after ranking second in the NSIC and 14th in all of Division II averaging 28.9 yards per kick return. The 5-foot-9, 196-pound running back from Mitchell, S.D. returned a season-high four kickoffs for 172 yards against Upper Iowa on Oct. 4, including a season-long return of 62 yards. Greenway had nine kick returns of 25 or more yards on the season, including two of 50-plus yards.

Heller, a 6-foot-0, 176-pound wide receiver from Lakeville, Minn., earned All-NSIC Honorable Mention honors last season after leading the team in receptions (46), receiving yards (796) and receiving touchdowns (7). He ranked eighth in the NSIC averaging 72.4 receiving yards per game and caught at least one pass in all 11 games this season. Heller hauled in three 100-yard receiving games, including a career-high 118 yards against Concordia-St. Paul on Nov. 8. He registered his first career multi-touchdown game on Oct. 18 at Wayne State.

Augustana football reports to fall camp on Friday, Aug. 14 and opens the regular season at Bemidji State on Sept. 5.

Courtesy: Augustana

 

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