December 18, 2015
After four years of piling up sacks, tackles-for-losses and a host of records, senior Ryan Aelker (New Bavaria/Holgate) became the first Bluffton University football player to earn All-America honors since 1999. The two-time D3football.com All-North Region honoree was named Honorable Mention All-America prior to Mount Union taking down St. Thomas (Minn.) in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the Purple Raiders 12th Division III national title. Aelker, who was recently named a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award, was the only First Team All-North Region selection from Bluffton in the 11 years that D3football.com has recognized All-Region players.
With all eyes on him and with 10 offensive coordinators scheming to keep Aelker away from the ball, all the senior did was go out and lead the nation in sacks for the second straight season while adding the most tackles-for-loss in NCAA Division III to his resume. His school record 13 sacks from 2014 stood for just one season as Aelker dropped opposing quarterbacks for an NCAA-best 15.5 sacks this season. He broke his school record of 22 TFL's with 24 TFL's as a senior, giving him the top two single-season marks in both sacks and TFL's at Bluffton. Aelker led the conference with three forced fumbles in addition to topping the conference leaderboard in sacks and TFL's. His 60 tackles were second for the Beavers and he stuffed the stat sheet with an interception, four breakups, two quarterback hurries and a blocked kick. It marks the third straight year that Coach Dorrel has directed the player who has topped the NCAA in sacks. Hanover's Jake Stillwell led the nation with 15 sacks in 2013 when Coach Dorrel was the defensive coordinator and line coach for the Panthers.
Aelker expanded his repertoire as a senior and he gave Bluffton's offense another weapon at tight end. He caught two passes, both for touchdowns as Bluffton took advantage of the former high school quarterback's versatility and athletic ability. He will leave Bluffton as the most decorated defensive player in school history. In addition to his back-to-back HCAC Defensive Player of the Year awards, Aelker tops Bluffton's career lists with 35 sacks for 214 yards, 60 TFL's for 286 yards, eight forced fumbles and 11 quarterback hurries. He finished his career with 165 tackles (110 solos), two interceptions, 11 breakups, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick. Aelker was a Second Team All-HCAC selection as a sophomore before earning First Team All-HCAC honors the past two season. He was a three-time HCAC Defensive Player of the Week, once as a sophomore and twice this season. Aelker is the first player to earn HCAC Defensive MVP honors twice since Matt Lawless from MSJ in 2004 and 2006 and is the only the second player to win the award consecutively following Hanover linebacker Kevin O'Donohue in 1995-96.
The Beavers put together their sixth straight victory over Defiance, equaling the run from 1985-1990 that was the second-most consecutive Bluffton victories in the series. The Beavers won 11 straight from 1955 through 1965. Bluffton wrapped up its season at 6-4 (5-3 HCAC) for the second year in a row under Head Coach Denny Dorrel. The 22 victories put up by the senior class were the most since the 2001 seniors went 24-16. The 2015 seniors were also the third straight class to go undefeated in the Bluffton-Defiance rivalry. Bluffton's second straight six-win season under Head Coach Denny Dorrel marked the first time the Beavers have had consecutive winning seasons since 2000-01!
-BEAVERS-