The Wheaton Thunder football team opens the 2016 season coming off back-to-back, undefeated, 10-0 regular season records in 2014 and 2015. It marked the first time in school history that Wheaton has recorded consecutive 10-0 efforts. With the feat, Wheaton is the first CCIW team to have back-to-back undefeated regular seasons since Augustana in the mid-1980's.
 
Wheaton finished 2015 with an 11-1 record, falling to UW-Whitewater in the second round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs. Last year's campaign also saw the Thunder win its third conference title in four seasons.
 
Several players return from last year's successful squad, presenting a strong outlook for 2016. "High expectations are associated with recent success. So we embrace those expectations," mentions Swider. "The bar is once again set high for Wheaton football, and it should be. That is the kind of program you want to be involved in. When there are no expectations, it is more an indictment of the past than where you are right now." He adds, "I think the expectations you put on yourself are more important than anything. Other people's opinions don't matter. But, you know in your heart where your football team is and I am excited about this year's football team. We as a program will use the expectations to motivate us to achieve our own goals once again."
 
Swider states, "We have a good group of seniors returning, and that is really important. I think this will always be the case at Wheaton. We graduated some good players last year, but that is what we are supposed to do. If you have hopes of being good you should always have juniors and seniors dominating your lineup. We have a number of players that have been groomed to step into those roles. They were recruited for this moment, and they are no different than the players that they are replacing, who also had to replace talented players." The veteran Wheaton coach concludes, "The sign of a good program is that it can stand the test of time. It is never a one-year blip, but a year-in and year-out it tradition of winning football games. That happens when you recruit talented football players, you groom them, demand that they pay their dues, they learn from the upperclassmen; and then when the time comes they are prepared to step into that starting role."
 
Swider is pleased with his roster of 117 players for the upcoming season, "The depth in this program is as strong as it has ever been. We are approaching approximately 120 players on our roster, and I feel good about that. I personally think it is difficult to coach many more than that. Having 115-120 players produces tremendous depth." He continues, "However it is more than just numbers, there is also a lot of talent in our numbers. In the last few years we have worked hard to build the bottom half of our program. Our top 50-60 players have always been very talented, but their talent level was distinctly different from the back half. Two problems can result. The first is associated with attrition. When your top kids get hurt performance drops. Secondly, your practices are not as competitive as they should be. With the size and quality of our roster now, we have much more competitive practices. When we replace players it is not just one player stepping in, it is three or four excellent players fighting for that spot - which creates tremendous competition." He concludes, "The other thing it does is give you great special teams. If you look at our program the last few years, our special teams have been dominant. They have been dominant because we have hungry kids on these units that don't have to play down to down. Special teams gives them their 10-15 plays to shine."
 
Wheaton returns a number of talented players on offense that have significant experience on the field.
 
Among the returnees are senior quarterbacks Johnny Peltz (PICTURED LEFT) and Andrew Bowers. Bowers (RIGHT) played in all 12 games last season as he threw for 1,738 yards and 14 touchdowns, earning All-CCIW Second Team honors. He also ran for 482 yards with five touchdown runs. Peltz battled through injuries in 2015 to play in seven games with 962 passing yards, eight touchdowns and a 64.5% completion percentage. In a healthy sophomore season Peltz had a breakout year as he threw for 1,627 yards and 14 touchdowns in the 2014 campaign. "Johnny Peltz is a big, strong, athletic kid that can run and has a big arm. Andrew Bowers is smaller and an amazingly fast kid with a big arm as well. They both can run, but run very differently. They are very good football players and each of them has poise."
 
Swider notes, "How many coaches in America would like to have two senior quarterbacks returning that have each played at least one full season?" He mentions, "Both Johnny and Andrew have each played exceptionally well during these past two years. Ideally we can keep them both healthy and be able to play both of them some." He concludes, "Somehow, some way they will both get on the field. You have to find a spot for those kids."
 
Zach Lindquist (PICTURED LEFT) was a 2015 Second Team All-North Region selection at tight end by D3football.com. As a junior last year he was second on the team with 548 receiving yards, averaging 14.8 yards per catch with four touchdown grabs. Swider says of the 2015 First Team All-CCIW honoree, "Zach Lindquist is as good as any tight end at our level. There is no question that he can play. He is big, athletic and he is going to give our opponents some fits. He has great hands, can run, and he can block. He is a weapon on multiple levels." Swider concludes, "There are four young men who will be competing for the second spot at tight end."
 
Sola Olateju (PICTURED LEFT) led the Thunder ground game in 2015 with 933 yards and nine touchdown runs. As a sophomore last season he averaged an impressive 7.2 yards per carry. "At tailback we have Sola Olateju as a returning starter. On any given play Sola is gone. He can run and is a tremendous athlete," mentions Swider. He adds, "Jackson Fain, Stone Watson, and others will compete for playing time in the backfield as well." Fain ran for 232 yards last season, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Watson averaged 5.4 yards per rush last year as a freshman.
 
Peter Gibson (PICTURED RIGHT) earned Third Team All-American recognition at guard from D3football.com in 2015. Gibson and center Kyler Kregel both earned All-CCIW recognition last season. "Our offensive line is very good and we have quite a bit of depth there. Coach [Jesse] Scott has done an amazing job with that group," notes Swider. "We have four guys that are returning starters. Ben Pettway is at one tackle spot, we have Kyler Kregel at center, along with Jon Callaway and Peter Gibson at the two guard spots. Those four are as good as anybody." He concludes "Sam Ahlbrand, Tyler Leslie and a host of others will be in a battle for the remaining open spot on the line."
 
Swider notes of the receiver position, "We have two kids at receiver that return with significant experience. Trey Hanley (PICTURED LEFT) had a great season last year and Matt Norton comes back after tearing his ACL." Hanley played in all 12 games last year, averaging 12.6 yards per catch with one touchdown reception. He concludes, "Chase White and Adam Sandy have some playing experience and there are several others who will definitely be competing for playing time."

 
The Thunder defense is expected to reload for the 2016 season after significant losses from last year's unit. "Defensively we lost six starters, but the cupboard is far from bare," mentions Swider.
 
The Thunder head coach notes, "Noah Spielman(PICTURED RIGHT) and Chase Greenlee are total stud players that anchor our defensive line. They are game changers and impact players." He adds, "Spielman can fill that inside spot and give you pressure up the middle and Greenlee comes off the edge and he is hard to block. There are six or seven guys fighting for the two open positions on the defensive line, and all of them are legitimate candidates."
 
Spielman played in every game last year for the Thunder, registering 32 total tackles, including six tackles for loss (-20 yards). Greenlee (PICTURED LEFT) also saw action in every contest of the 2015 season, with 32 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss (-19 yards).
 
Swider states of the linebacker position, "We have Caleb Ashby (PICTURED RIGHT) back at linebacker. He is an impact player and a team captain for us. He also is a game changer. Luke Sahly is going to be an excellent linebacker for us. He leads a group of four or five guys competing to fill the two openings we have at this position."
 
Ashby had an outstanding junior season in 2015 with 69 total tackles, including nine tackles for lost yardage (-32 yards) and three interceptions.
 
"In the secondary we return two kids that were starters last year in Tyler Sigler (PICTURED LEFT) and Marcus Smith," notes Swider. He says of the junior safety, "Tyler Sigler played hurt all of last year. Now he enters training camp 100% healthy. He is 6' 3", 220-pounds and has a year of experience. There are high expectations for him." Sigler recorded four interceptions last year, his first at the position, tallying 40 total tackles. At the other safety position Nick Blazek, Kyle Fox and Luke Smith will compete for playing time. All have varsity experience as they head into this season.
 
Swider mentions, "Marcus Smith (PICTURED RIGHT) returns as a starting cornerback. The other cornerback spot will be filled by a group that is led by J Moore, Jared Strom, and Mason Ohendalski." Smith played in every game last year, making 39 total tackles with three interceptions and eight passes broken-up.
 

Daniel Gray (PICTURED LEFT) and Stefan Knoerr return at kicker for the Thunder this season. Knoerr handled kickoff duties for the Thunder in 2015 and Gray converted six field goal attempts for Wheaton.
 
Zach Feddeler (PICTURED RIGHT) returns at punter after earning the starting role in his freshman season. "He has the potential to become an excellent punter for us. He took every punt last year and has a huge upside," notes Swider. Feddeler registered 40 punts last year, including 10 that landed inside the 20-yard line as he averaged 32.0 yards per punt.