RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The 2024 season has come to an end for Concordia University Chicago (CUC) football. In his first year as head coach,
Chase Hankins continued the upward trajectory of the program, taking positives and moments of growth, game after game. The Cougars finished 2-8 overall and 1-7 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC).
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Season Recap
The season kicked off with a trip down to Greenville University on Sep. 7. After going down two scores,
Ryan Auer (Newark, Ohio) made a 20-yard field goal to get the Cougars on the board.
Jayce Levy (Davenport, Iowa) led the team with 76 receiving yards on six catches, including a 31-yard touchdown.
Devin Bledsoe (St. Charles, Mo.) caught a 28-yard touchdown pass and
Joron Brown (St. Joseph, Mich.) rushed in for a touchdown, but the Cougars fell short and dropped the season opener, 54-23.
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On Sep. 14, CUC held its home opener, hosting Manchester University in what would be a thrilling showdown.
Colton Bosch (Coopersville, Mich.) had himself a day, throwing for 194 yards and three touchdowns, leading both teams. In the first half, Levy caught a 35-yard pass from Bosch to score and take a one-point lead, 7-6, in the half. Out of the break, the Cougars came out hot, with Levy and Brown scoring touchdowns in the third quarter. In the final 15 minutes, Manchester battled back to take the lead, but Bosch once again found his favorite target, Levy, in the endzone, scoring the game winning touchdown with just under two minutes left in the game, claiming victory 28-27.
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In the team's highest scoring game of the season, Concordia hosted Lakeland University on Sep. 21 for the first NACC game of the year. CUC struck first, as Bosch once again found Levy in the endzone. The teams battled back and forth as the Muskies led 20-10 after 15 minutes. In the second quarter,
Troy Pratley (St. Joseph, Mich.) scored his first touchdown of the season, closing the gap. The teams continued to trade off who was in the lead, as
Henry Jones IV (Atlanta, Ga.) scored two touchdowns, and Bosch took it himself to take a 61-60 lead with less than a minute. However, the Muskies threw an 86-yard Hail Mary and defeated the Cougars, 66-61.
On the road for the next two games, Concordia went 1-1. The team traveled to face #22 Aurora University on Sep. 28. The Cougars fought hard, but Aurora's offense couldn't be stopped, and CUC fell 72-6. Bledsoe scored the lone touchdown for the Cougars. On Oct. 5, the team traveled to Eureka College and pulled out the victory. Brown and
Blake Henson (Potosi, Mo.) gave the Cougars an early 14-13 lead with rushing touchdowns.
Wesley Jackson (Robinson, Ill.) extended the lead with back-to-back touchdowns, including a 40-yard touchdown catch. Auer's field goal in the third quarter built enough of a gap to hold off the Red Devils and win, 31-27.
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In the homecoming game against Rockford University on Oct. 12. Going down early, the Cougars clawed their way back and never gave up. Levy caught his longest reception of the season, a 71-yard touchdown, and the team went 4-for-4 in the red zone, but ultimately fell 74-45 to the Regents. On Oct. 19, the team took a trip to De Pere, Wis. to face St. Norbert College, where they took down the Cougars 62-0. A week later, Wisconsin Lutheran came to Concordia Stadium.
Randle Bills (Florrisant, Mo.) and Bledsoe found the endzone, but the Warriors took the game 49-14.
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Coming off a bye week, the Cougars had two more games left. On the road to Wisconsin, CUC faced rival Concordia University Wisconsin on Nov. 9. Jackson snatched two touchdown passes in the 52-24 loss. In the final game of the season, the Cougars hosted Benedictine University. TheEagles scored on the first drive and never looked back. CUC outscored Benedictine in the second half, 14-7, as Bosch ran in two touchdowns, but the Cougars fell 49-14.
Postseason Honors
Seven Cougars were awarded All-NACC honors at the conclusion of the season.
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First Team
Sophomore
Wesley Jackson secured his first postseason honors, being named All-NACC first team as a tight end. He appeared in all 10 games and scored six touchdowns this season, the second-most on the team, including two in the victory over Eureka (Oct. 5).
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Second Team
For the second year in a row, senior
Jayce Levy was named All-NACC second team. Levy was the Cougars' favorite target, leading the team with nine touchdowns and recording the second-most receiving yards with 470. He averaged 16.79 yards per reception and scored three touchdowns in the victory over Manchester (Sep. 14).
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In his debut season,
Daniel Banks (Chicago, Ill.) raked in All-NACC second-team honors as a left tackle. Playing in all 10 games, he was a reliable and consistent presence on the field, helping the Cougars capitalize on their opportunities.
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As a senior safety,
Marvin Rushing (Detroit, Mich.) was a staple for CUC's defense. He led the team with 74 tackles, 55 of which were solo, over the 10-game season. Rushing racked up a career-high 15 tackles against Benedictine (Nov. 16).
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Honorable Mention
Colton Bosch stepped in as the go-to quarterback his sophomore season. He ended the season with 2,173 passing yards, throwing for 20 touchdowns. Bosch also recorded five rushing touchdowns, including two against Benedictine (Nov. 16).
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During his final season as a Cougar,
Travon Thomas (Wauchula, Fla.) remained a leader and critical part of the team's defense. Through 10 games, he registered the second-most tackles on the team with 62, 30 of which were solo. Against Rockford (Oct. 12), Thomas registered a career-high 15 tackles.
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In his senior year,
Jailynn Franklin (New Orleans, La.) competed in nine games this season as a main component of the offensive line. His blocking up front allowed the CUC offense to push the ball forward and make the most of its opportunities. Franklin was a dependable anchor, consistently denying opponents a through to the Cougars' quarterback.
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Graduating Seniors
Devin Bledsoe played in nine games this year and led the team with 491 reception yards and totaled three touchdowns. He had a career-high six catches, including a season-high 39-yard catch against Manchester (Sep. 14).
Troy Pratley appeared in all 10 games. At quarterback, he threw 16 completions with a 76.19% completion rate. Pratley rushed for 136 yards, the second-most on the team and scored a touchdown against Lakeland (Sep. 21).
Marvin Rushing was named All-NACC second team this season, leading the Cougars with 74 tackles, 55 of which were solo. He recorded a 32-yard fumble recovery against Wisconsin Lutheran (Oct. 26).
Jordan Garcia appeared in seven games for the Cougars on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he recorded 12 receiving yards and three rushes. Defensively, Garcia registered six tackles.
Ryan Auer appeared in all 10 games, going 5-for-8 on field goal attempts. On kickoffs, he kicked for 2340 yards with two touchbacks and an average of 49.8 yards.
Travon Thomas appeared in all 10 games and recorded the second-most tackles on the team with 62, 30 of which were solo. He totaled a career-high 15 tackles against Rockford (Oct. 12).
CJ Morris appeared in all 10 games and was a key member of the offensive line. He provided protection for the quarterback every snap.
Jailynn Franklin played in nine games on the offensive line. His blocking up front earned him All-NACC honorable mention.
Khristian Duran appeared in all 10 games this season. As a crucial member of the offensive line, he helped the Cougars capitalize on their opportunities.
Myron Spencer appeared in nine games as a defensive tackle. He recorded 13 tackles, seven of which were solo. He made two solo tackles against St. Norbert (Oct. 19).
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Impactful Returners
Jayce Levy will return to the field for the Cougars next season. He received All-NACC second team honors, leading the Cougars with nine touchdowns and recorded the second-most reception yards with 470.
Wesley Jackson received All-NACC first team honors in his sophomore year. He recorded the second-most touchdowns on the team with six and logged 266 yards on 24 catches.
Daniel Banks earned All-NACC second team honors in his debut season. He was a key part of the offensive line, as a reliable and consistent presence on the field, that helped the Cougars make the most of their opportunities.
Colton Bosch was named All-NACC honorable mention, as the Cougars' main quarterback this season. He totaled 2,173 passing yards and threw for 20 touchdowns, while rushing for an additional five.
Joron Brown appeared in all 10 games at running back. He led the team in rushing yards with a career-high 593. He ran for four touchdowns and totaled 127 reception yards and a touchdown on 10 catches.
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Statistical Leaders
Passing:
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Rushing:
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Receiving:
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Defense:
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Special Teams:
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Season Highlights
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