After 525-day offseason, Augsburg football prepares for unique "season opener"

Chris Long

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The longest offseason ever is finally over. 525 days since their last game, the Augsburg football team is scheduled to hit the field for their "season opener" Sunday at Martin Luther College.

Click the video box on this page to see Augsburg players and new head coach Derrin Lamker discuss their long-awaited season opener

After the pandemic wiped out typical spring practices and the entire fall season in 2020, many of the nation’s small colleges are playing last fall’s postponed season this spring – or at least part of it.

Augsburg, for example, has a three-game schedule set for the coming weeks.

Initially slated to play at St. Thomas on Saturday, COVID-19 precautions forced that game to be postponed. So, Augsburg shuffled their schedule to play their opener at Martin Luther.

Senior offensive lineman Tim Mandyk raises his arms during an Augsburg football practice on Friday, April 16th[KSTP Sports]

The game will be the first as head coach for Augsburg alumnus Derrin Lamker. He previously coached at Edina High School and at Osseo, whom he guided to a state title in 2015.

While some college football divisions and conferences fully sanctioned a spring season, the MIAC chose not to – but permitted member schools to schedule games as independents. There will not be NCAA Division-II or Division-III football championships this school year.