MINNEAPOLIS (updated 8/12/99) -- Some of the sights familiar to Augsburg College football fans over the past four seasons won't be there when the Auggies return to action for the 1999 season.

Sights like the maroon No. 30 jersey of Scott Hvistendahl, the most proficient wide receiver (in terms of career receiving yards) in the history of college football in America, streaking down the sidelines for another touchdown. Or his receiving mate, Tim Hamer, making a clutch reception late in a game. Or running backs Thane Drier and Jim Peterson piling on the yardage behind the blocks of Andy Larson and Craig Peroutka. Or kicker Martin Hlinka putting another ball straight through the uprights. Or defensive linemen Steve Sathre and Guillaume Paek registering quarterback sack after sack. Or tenacious pass defenders Andy Zigan and Todd Hamer patrolling the secondary.

But there isn't despair on the Minneapolis campus for head coach Jack Osberg, entering his ninth season as the Auggies' mentor. Osberg has led a resurrection of Augsburg football during his tenure, and stands at the apex of a unique achievement for Auggie football -- reaching the .500 mark for his career. Osberg is 40-41 entering the 1999 season; just one other coach in the history of Augsburg football has ever won as many games as he lost -- Bill Caris, who went 19-19 from 1972-75. Osberg's 40 wins are the second-most for a coach in school history, behind Edor Nelson's 58 wins (58-118-10) from 1947-69.

What Osberg and his staff have been able to accomplish has been nothing short of amazing for Augsburg football -- building a program that proved, with last year's 6-4 finish, that the 1997 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship wasn't just a one-year wonder. The Auggies had a 90-man roster (the largest in school history) in the 1998 season, building precious depth that should help keep the Auggies on their high plateau of success for the 1999 season, despite the loss of the several key seniors from last year.

Osberg has often said that the hallmark of a consistent winning program in the MIAC is the ability to build depth at all positions. With several outstanding returners and one of the best recruiting and transfer classes in school history, Osberg's hopes for consistent depth for his Auggies may finally be realized.

"Our program is reaching the point where we're better able to replace our graduating starters than we've ever been before," Osberg said. "Our players coming back, and the players who will step in as starters, are all good, quality people. We're able to replace our starters lost with good MIAC players."

Augsburg's offensive strength will rest in the strong right arm of Paul Tetzloff (Jr., Faribault, Minn.), who earned All-MIAC second-team honors last season, his first in an Auggie uniform. Despite missing a game-and-a-half due to injury last season, Tetzloff still led the MIAC in passing yardage per game, and his 269.9 yards-per-game total-offense average was 13th-best in the nation.

"Tetzloff finished very strong last year. He was one of the leading quarterbacks in the conference," Osberg said. "We have that to build from, and hopefully he has the talented players to throw to."

Two juniors will step into the shoes left by Hvistendahl and Tim Hamer to catch the balls thrown by Tetzloff -- Damien Rochon-Washington (Jr., Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) and Desman Oakley (Jr., Indianola, Iowa). Rochon-Washington, the team's No. 3 receiver the past two years, is a speedster who averaged 10 yards per reception last season. Oakley is also a quick receiver, and while not seeing a lot of varsity football action the past two seasons, has made his mark on campus by breaking record after record for the Auggie track team as a sprinter and hurdler. Tim Murphy (So., Northfield, Minn./Lakeville HS) has shown promise at the wideout spot, and Mark Johnson (So., Hastings, Minn.), a transfer from Division II South Dakota State, could step into a starting role, while Sam Gross (Fr., Springfield, Minn.) is a quality recruit. Mac Gordon (Sr., Red Wing, Minn.) returns for his second year as the Auggies' starting tight end, though Jesse Naughton (Fr., Spring Lake Park, Minn.) could present a challenge.

Brian Warden (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran HS) will step into the starting halfback role this season. Warden was second on the team last year in rushing, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. Jared Lynch (So., Jordan, Minn.) will also compete for a starting running back role this season, along with John Rotter (Jr., Montgomery, Minn./Montgomery-Lonsdale HS), Terrence Jones (Jr., Rosemount, Minn.) and Rico Washington (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./Roosevelt HS). T.J. Bramwell (Fr., Tomah, Wis.) was an all-state running back in Wisconsin, and Barry Pederson (So., Grand Marais, Minn.) is a quality transfer from Mesabi Community College.

"There will be some key competition at both running back and wide receiver," Osberg said. "Those two skill positions are both open. We expect some quality competition from our returners and our new kids."

Protecting the skill positions on the Auggie offense will be two offensive line returners who either started or saw significant playing time last year -- Todd Boerboom (Jr., St. Francis, Minn.) is a two-year veteran, while Andy Hansen (Jr., Mankato, Minn./Mankato East HS) also returns. Mike Hokanson (Jr., Maple Plain, Minn./Osseo HS), Eric Renneberg (Jr., Grand Marais, Minn./Cook County HS), Tim Scholla (Jr., Waconia, Minn.) and Max Milinkovich (Jr., Montgomery, Minn./Montgomery-Lonsdale HS) were solid backups in 1998, and newcomers Ben Mulvey (Fr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Rich Nelson (Fr., Eagan, Minn.) could challenge for a role on the offensive line.

On defense, the big question will be who will replace Sathre and Paek on the defensive line. Jason Van Houten (Sr., Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy HS) and Matt Chappius (So., Faribault, Minn.) are returning starters, and players like Mike Undem (So., Mora, Minn.), Dave Sherry (So., Hastings, Minn.), Chad Carls (Sr., Edina, Minn.) and Mark Reiland (Sr., Prior Lake, Minn.) gained valuable experience as backups last year. Brandon Ward (Jr., Hastings, Minn.), an honorable-mention All-MIACer on the offensive line in 1998, will move to the defensive line and could make an immediate impact this season. Another player who will move from offense to defense is Lee Sprouls (Jr., Moorhead, Minn.), who played at tight end last year after seeing JV time at defensive line as a freshman. Recruits Ben Tangert (So., Minnetonka, Minn.), a transfer from Luther (Iowa) and Kyle Koch (Fr., Austin, Minn.) may also see significant time in the front four.

The defensive strength could come in the linebacking corps. Andy Howard (Jr., Waseca, Minn.) was third on the team in tackles (53, with two sacks) last year, while Kurt Werk (Jr., Herman, Minn./West Central Area HS) and Joe Souba (Jr., Hayward, Wis.) were fifth and sixth on the team in tackles last year, with 49 and 47 respectively. Dane Lund (Sr., Burnsville, Minn.) and Scott Archambault (So., Faribault, Minn.) also return with experience at linebacker, and transfer Mitch Theisen (So., Buffalo, Minn.) from Division II St. Cloud State could also make an immediate impact in his first Augsburg season.

"We have several experienced kids back at linebacker," Osberg said. "We might be thin up front, experinece-wise. We'll have to find some depth quickly in our front four and our secondary. We'll have to develop some depth from our newcomers. Depth on defense will be critical for us."

In the secondary, Jake Kern (Sr., Faribault, Minn.) returns for his senior season to cap an outstanding career at free safety. A second-team All-American as a sophomore and two-time All-MIAC first-teamer, he followed that year up with another solid season in 1998, leading the team in tackles (75), while recording seven pass break-ups and three interceptions for a career total of 10. Rob Just (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) who led the team with four pickoffs last year, returns as a starting cornerback, and 1998 backups Brent Peroutka (So., Faribault, Minn.), Kris Froyum (Sr., Cologne, Minn./Waconia HS) and Chris Wahl (Sr., St. Charles, Minn.) also return to the secondary. Nate Loughran (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS) is a quality recruit at defensive back.

On special teams, Matt Van Alstine (Jr., Cottage Grove, Minn./Park HS) will be counted as the Auggies' kicker, after backing up Hlinka for two seasons. The coaching staff has also recruited two freshman kickers -- Joe Culhane (Fr., Eagan, Minn.) and Rob Donahue (Fr., Owatonna, Minn.). Brent Peroutka may take over punting duties from Hvistendahl, though newcomers Bart Rall (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.), a transfer from Rochester Community College, and Barry Pederson are also good punters.