The Left Hash Call

Division III football is getting another postseason opportunity.This November, four teams will have the opportunity to extend their seasons and compete in the inaugural Riverbend Bowl Series, hosted by the American Rivers Conference in Neenah, Wisconsin.On this episode of The Left Hash Call, we're joined by American Rivers Conference Commissioner Marie Stroman to take an inside look at how the Riverbend Bowl Series came to life, what it takes to build a postseason event from the ground up, and why creating more opportunities for Division III student-athletes matters.We dive into:The origins of the Riverbend Bowl Series and the years of planning behind itHow the four participating teams will be selected and matched upWhy Neenah, Wisconsin, was chosen to host the inaugural eventWhat players and coaches can expect from the postseason experienceThe vision for the future of the Riverbend Bowl SeriesMarie's journey from Division III student-athlete to American Rivers Conference CommissionerRIVERBEND BOWL SERIES — EVENT DETAILSDate: Saturday, November 21, 2026Location: Rocket Stadium | Neenah, WisconsinGame Times: Noon & 5 PM CTFormat: Four Teams | Two Bowl GamesTHE LEFT HASH CALL IS GOING BOWLING!We're also excited to announce that The Left Hash Call is officially partnering with the American Rivers Conference as the Official Media Partner of the inaugural Riverbend Bowl Series!We'll be bringing exclusive interviews, team features, game previews, and a special LIVE Riverbend Bowl Series Preview Extravaganza on Friday, November 20, from the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley.This is about more than another football game. It's about creating an unforgettable experience for student-athletes, celebrating programs that deserve postseason recognition, and continuing to grow Division III football.Subscribe to The Left Hash Call for more stories, conversations, and coverage from across college football.#D3Football #RiverbendBowlSeries #TheLeftHashCall #AmericanRiversConference #CollegeFootball@thelefthashcallTwitter/X: https://x.com/thelefthashcallInstagram: /thelefthashcallFacebook: /thelefthashcallTik Tok: /thelefthashcall#Coaching #CFB #LHC

Two of the hottest teams in small college football join The Left Hash Call this week following statement victories over nationally ranked opponents.WashU Head Coach Aaron Keen joins the show after the Bears improved to 5-0 with a 35-25 victory over No. 6/8 John Carroll. Keen breaks down the biggest win of the season, the emergence of quarterback Levi Moore, the Bears' Philly Special touchdown, and what it takes to keep a team focused after a major upset. We also discuss his journey back to his alma mater, coaching quarterbacks, and WashU's transition to the NCAC.Dordt Head Coach Joel Penner joins us following the Defenders' dominant 42-17 road victory over previously unbeaten No. 16 Midland. Penner discusses how Dordt bounced back from two early losses to nationally ranked opponents, the evolution of the Defenders' offense, and why he believes this team can compete for a national championship. We also dive into his philosophy of treating every opponent as "Team X," building Dordt into a perennial NAIA contender, and the remarkable stories of Noah Clayberg and offensive coordinator Levi Jungling.From building winning cultures to developing quarterbacks and preparing for championship runs, this episode takes you inside two of the most successful programs in small college football.Subscribe to The Left Hash Call for more conversations with the coaches and players shaping college football at every level.The Left Hash Call Store is officially LIVE: https://sizzlemediainc.com/lefthashcallstore#CollegeFootball #D3Football #NAIAFootball #WashUFootball #DordtFootball #TheLeftHashCallTimestamps:0:00: Intro3:25: Top Small School QB Performances9:46: Washington University Head Coach Aaron Keen28:00: Dordt University Head Coach Joel PennerTwitter/X: https://x.com/thelefthashcallInstagram: /thelefthashcallFacebook: /thelefthashcallTik Tok: /thelefthashcall#Coaching #CFB #LHC

Idaho offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ian Shoemaker joins The Left Hash Call to break down nearly 30 years of building and evolving college offenses.Shoemaker dives into his offensive philosophy, why true balance is about what a defense has to prepare for, how he marries the run game with RPOs and play action, and why tempo is much more than simply playing fast.We also get into the evolution of RPO football, developing quarterbacks, coaching Walter Payton Award winner Eric Barriere at Eastern Washington, his time at Grand Valley State and Hawaii, what being a head coach taught him about calling plays, and how he is building the offense at Idaho.Plus, Shoemaker explains how he installs tempo, approaches opening drives, uses helmet communication, and why the best coaches have to adapt how they teach to the players in their room.This is a deep dive into offensive football, quarterback development, play calling and nearly three decades of lessons from one of college football’s most experienced offensive minds.

Northwood head coach Dustin Beurer joins the show after the Timberwolves knocked off No. 9 Findlay, 34-11, to move to 4-0. We talk about the turnaround at Northwood, building a winning culture, Ethan Hamby’s preparation at quarterback, one of the best defenses in the country and how Northwood structures an entire game week.Then Bemidji State wide receivers coach Trevor Munson joins us after one of the wildest performances of the weekend. Connor Carver ran for 335 yards in the Beavers’ win over Minot State, and Trevor breaks down how the game plan evolved, the selflessness of his receiver room, developing wideouts, recruiting, his journey through Nebraska-Kearney and Eastern Michigan, and what he learned studying offenses from the defensive side of the ball.Finally, friend of the show Alex Boyer is back to talk about his transition from college football to coaching eight-man high school football. We get into the differences in scheme and personnel, the rise of his alma mater Midland, the American Rivers Conference, Nebraska football, early-season rankings and what he’s learned coaching at a completely different level of the game.TIMESTAMPS0:00 Intro1:31 Top QB Performances from Week 47:43 Dustin Beurer — Northwood Head Coach27:45 Trevor Munson — Bemidji State WR Coach59:29 Alex Boyer — Eight-Man Football, Midland & College Football

Jack Jarnigan spent years chasing the college football coaching dream.From Southern Illinois and Marian to UW-River Falls, New Mexico State and his alma mater Valparaiso, Jack coached at nearly every level of college football before making a decision that completely changed the trajectory of his career: stepping away.Now coaching and teaching at Avon High School in Indiana, Jack joins The Left Hash Call to talk about why he walked away from the college coaching grind, choosing family over continually climbing the profession, and why he hasn't looked back.We also get into what actually creates great football culture, why relationships matter more than scheme, lessons from UW-River Falls and New Mexico State, developing as a play caller, the importance of JV football and bowl games, and why the best coaches understand that football can't always come first.This is a conversation about football, but even more about the life you build around it.SUBSCRIBE for more conversations about the people, culture and stories behind football.@thelefthashcallTwitter/X: https://x.com/thelefthashcallInstagram: /thelefthashcallFacebook: /thelefthashcallTik Tok: /thelefthashcall#Coaching #CFB #LHC

Johns Hopkins has become one of the most consistent programs in Division III football, making three consecutive trips to the NCAA semifinals while producing some of the most explosive offenses in the country.In this episode of The Left Hash Call, Seth sits down with Johns Hopkins offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Alex Hervatz to break down how that offense is built.Alex discusses his journey from playing wide receiver at Thiel College to coaching at Utica and eventually becoming the offensive coordinator at Johns Hopkins. He explains how his philosophy was shaped by learning every part of the offense, studying Oregon during the COVID season, and figuring out how to build a system around the players he actually has.They also dive into Johns Hopkins’ offseason self-scout process, how the staff builds a game plan each week, why Alex completely rebuilds his call sheet for every opponent, quarterback run game, developing elite players, staff structure, recruiting, and what he has learned since becoming a play caller.

There is no single path to becoming a college football coach.

Luke Shively certainly didn't take a conventional one.

After growing up in small-town Indiana, Shively walked on at Northern Illinois and eventually made 39 consecutive starts at center. When his playing career ended, he initially had no plans to get into coaching — and actually turned down his first opportunity to become a graduate assistant.

He eventually took the job.

What followed was five years as a GA at Temple and Duke, learning under coaches like Rod Carey, Mike Elko and Adam Cushing before deciding it was finally time to run his own room.

That opportunity took him to Wisconsin-River Falls, where he became the Falcons' offensive line coach before eventually returning home to Indiana to coach at Butler.

In this episode of The Left Hash Call, Luke joins Seth to talk about his unconventional path through college football, surviving the GA grind, what he learned at the Power Four level, betting on himself by leaving Duke, coaching offensive line, finding the right fit at Butler and why great coaches can find a way to succeed at any level.

"If you can coach football, you'll find a way."

East Carolina offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jordan Davis joins The Left Hash Call to break down his journey from walk-on wide receiver at Texas Tech to becoming one of college football’s rising offensive minds.

After years working alongside Eric Morris at Incarnate Word, Washington State and North Texas, Davis is stepping out on his own at ECU with the opportunity to call plays and build the next evolution of his offense.

We talk about why he chose East Carolina, what he learned from Morris and Kliff Kingsbury, how his offensive philosophy has evolved, and what actually goes into building an offense that consistently produces at an elite level.

Jordan also takes us inside his weekly game-planning process, including his staff “Idea Board,” how he builds a call sheet, why he keeps a “no-call sheet” after games, how he gets quarterbacks back into rhythm, and why explosive plays and situational football matter more than chasing a perfect run-pass balance.

We also get into his path from Southwestern Oklahoma State to Texas Tech, developing Drew Mestamaker at North Texas, receiver development, studying offenses around the country, coaching in the transfer portal era, and the lessons he would pass along to the next generation of coaches.

Subscribe to The Left Hash Call for conversations about the people, culture and ideas shaping football.

When Rocky Larson took over at Mayville State, the football program needed more than a few tweaks. The roster had just 28 players, the team GPA sat at 2.11, players weren’t lifting together, class attendance was an issue, and the program had posted just one winning season since 1990.Seven years later, the picture looks completely different.On this episode of The Left Hash Call, Seth Howard sits down with Mayville State Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Rocky Larson to talk about what it actually takes to rebuild a college football program.Rocky shares how his coaching career unexpectedly began at UW–River Falls as an 18-year-old student assistant, what he learned working under Matt Walker and during his time at Minnesota, and why relationships have remained at the center of his coaching philosophy.They also dive into:Taking over a program that needed a completely new identityWhy Mayville State moved toward the triple optionBuilding a roster from 28 players to nearly 140Creating a culture where players actually stayBalancing life as a head coach, athletic director, play caller and fatherThe importance of having people around you who will tell you the truthWhy young coaches shouldn’t try to skip the difficult stages of the professionWhat Rocky learned from rebuilding UW–River Falls before doing it himself at Mayville StateWith 18 starters returning and expectations around the program rising, Mayville State enters the next stage of a rebuild that has taken years to construct. As Rocky puts it, expectations are a privilege — because seven years ago, the expectation was simply to survive.At the end of the conversation, Rocky delivers one of the strongest pieces of advice we’ve heard for young coaches: don’t skip the hard parts, find people who will tell you the truth, and build your career alongside the right people.@thelefthashcallTwitter/X: https://x.com/thelefthashcallInstagram: /thelefthashcallFacebook: /thelefthashcallTik Tok: /thelefthashcall#Coaching #CFB #LHC

South Dakota head coach Matt Vitzthum joins The Left Hash Call to break down his journey from small-town Iowa to leading one of the premier programs in FCS football.Vitzthum’s path started at Wartburg College, where he transitioned from player to student assistant and discovered his future in coaching. From there came stops at St. Cloud State and Wittenberg before an 11-year run at Grand Valley State, where he eventually became offensive coordinator.In 2024, he joined South Dakota and helped the Coyotes win a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference championship and reach the FCS semifinals. Now, he takes over as the program’s head coach.