Martin Luther College Football

The 2004 season has been a wild ride for the Knights. The Knights football team is headed to its second straight conference championship game. Despite a rough start, MLC head football coach Chuck Hussman has guided the Knights to six consecutive wins, and a perfect record against UMAC opponents. Had it not been for a visit from an old friend, Hussman may still be fishing right now, instead of preparing for a conference championship.

After Dennis Gorsline retired in August, Martin Luther College Athletic Director James Unke had a huge void to fill. In Gorsline’s final season, he won UMAC Coach of the Year Honors and led the Knights to the Dome Day championship game. Gorsline was also the only head coach the Knights ever had.

Since the Knights had only three weeks before football practices were to begin, a decision had to be reached quickly. Soon the search focused on Chuck Hussman.

“We looked at all the people who could fill in at the last minute, and Hussman was the most qualified,” Unke said. “In consultation with President Olson, we felt he would be the best person for both teaching and coaching.”

Hussman was very familiar with the Knights. He taught at Martin Luther College while coaching cross country and track for seven years before retiring in 2002.

In retirement Hussman has spent a lot of time at his cabin in northern Minnesota, just off the Gunflint Trail near the Canadian border. Since the cabin does not have a phone, Unke had to make a seven hour trip just to offer him the job.

“I would have called his cell phone, but you don’t exactly get good coverage in that neck of the woods,” Unke said.

Unke was not sure that he would be able to convince Hussman to come out of retirement.

“When I pulled up to the cabin that Friday morning, I remember walking around the corner and seeing Chuck sitting on a picnic bench drinking coffee,” Unke said. “With the warm weather and clear skies we had that morning, I wasn’t so sure that even I would want to leave this.”

Hussman felt the same way at first.

“I was honored that they felt I was the best man for the job,” Hussman said. “But I thought there must be somebody better and younger who could handle this job.”

It didn’t take long for those concerns to be put to rest. Two days later, Hussman told Unke he would take the job.

“When he knew it was good for (the team) and for MLC, I think he became convinced that this was something he had to do,” Unke said.

With only a short amount of time to adapt to the coaching transition, skeptics wondered if the Knights would be able to pick up where they had left off last year. UMAC opponents were among the doubters, as the Knights were picked to finish third in the division according to the pre-season coach’s poll. After suffering back-to-back losses to open the season, Hussman fought hard to keep everyone focused.

“We were hanging our heads at first,” junior running back Joel Russow said. “But we knew we had a better team than what we had shown. Coach Hussman kept us focused on our goals and and put the focus on our next game and not on previous games.”

The season looked bleak for the Knights until the 17-point, fourth quarter comeback against Maranatha the following week. The victory gave the Knights its first win of the season and a much needed confidence boost.

“That was the turning point in our season,” defensive coordinator Keith Wessel said.

From there, the Knights would rattle off six consecutive victories, tying the school record. Three of those games, including the 27-26 victory over the 2003 UMAC champion Westminster, were fourth quarter, come-from-behind victories. Hussman used his experience as a track coach to emphasize the need for great conditioning. Many coaches and players alike felt that enabled the Knights to make the comebacks.

“He wanted us to own the second and fourth quarters,” Russow said. “In order for that to happen, he stressed early on in the season how he wanted us to be the best conditioned team in the UMAC. I’m not sure anyone enjoyed putting in the work at first, but it has paid off immensely.”

Hussman’s work ethic and dedication has also impressed the players.

“The amount of work he puts in every week and the way he cares for the people around him is amazing,” Russow said. “He’s always concerned for his players, and he always keeps us focused, not just on the field, but also focused on why we’re really at this school.”

Hussman appreciates the acknowledgment; however, he emphasizes that the encouragement from coaches can only take a team so far.

“Ultimately it comes down to how much the players want it,” Hussman said. “They have worked hard the entire season and now they are starting to cash in on it.”

As the Knights prepare to compete against Westminster for the UMAC championship, many believe that this year could not have gone any better for the Knights.

“What has impressed me is the fact that the team has gotten better every week,” Unke said. “For us to be able to be playing in the Dome Day championship is a feather in Coach Hussman’s hat.”

When Hussman recalls the Knights rocky start, he still cannot believe how well everything has turned out thus far.

“If you would have told me at the beginning of the year that we’d be vying for the conference championship, given the circumstances we came in with, I doubt very much I would have believed you,” Hussman said.

Despite the dramatic turnaround, Hussman downplays his role in the Knights’ success this season.

“We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, but it couldn’t have been done without the other coaches,” Hussman said. “It was a team effort.”

Even if the Knights win the championship game, Hussman will step out of the spotlight and head back to his cabin in the woods. Is there any chance that another visit would lead him back?

“No, this is it for me,” Hussman said. “In fact, I may have to find a cabin that’s a little harder to find next time.”

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