So Doane's experiment with Tommie Frazier as football coach met the same results as garlic doughnuts and fantasy feedlot camp.

By the end of the 2006 season, Doane had about 38 players suited up for the final game.

Frazier, one of the most famous Husker players in history,  was out.

After going 3-17 over the last two years, the Tigers named their third coach in three years.

Matt Franzen, a Doane All-American in 1993, took over for Frazier in January.

"This is my third coach, and honestly, I can say it's been trying at times," said Luke Burson, a senior tight end. "Those of us who stayed want Doane on the right track. We also stayed because we love football and we have become stronger because we stuck it out through all of this."

Coach Fran Schwenk resigned after 21 years in the spring of 2005. The school hired Frazier, who gave the program instant recognition. But the numbers of players dwindled and the results on the scoreboard were dissatisfying despite three fourth-quarter losses that proved the Tigers were not outclassed.

"We just kind of wore down," said senior linebacker Dustin Lind. "We had talent. We've got talented guys back and we've got a lot of new guys. The depth will be better, just not as experienced."

There's also a bond among the returning players.

"Those of us who came back are a very tight family now," Burson said. "We have about 45 new guys in the family now, but it's still very close."

Franzen worked hard to recruit 40 freshmen to join the few returning starters.

He sees the mix of experience and fresh faces as a test of his coaching abilities.

"You see some freshmen out there in the scrimmages and think, he's going to be pretty good," Franzen said. "Then you realize, he's going to be playing next week in a game."

Doane has a genuine quarterback race between last year’s starter,  J.R. Artozqui, and Bryan Dutcher. Conference sprint champion D’Artagnan Dai’Re is expected to fill in at running back for all-conference back Justin Nelson.

The backfield is fast. The receivers are fast.

"The top of the depth chart is really solid, and has plenty of experience and talent," Franzen said. "The rest of the depth chart, especially at offensive line, is dotted with freshmen. That will take time."

Franzen wanted the Doane head coaching job. A longtime assistant coach at Hastings College, Franzen interviewed for the post two years ago when Frazier was hired.

"The job came open and I was ready to try again," he said. "I know small-college football and I've done almost everything you can as an assistant."

 Franzen and his staff set a quick pace for the early practices. “We have breakfast together with the team, go through two-a-days, watch film, have a meeting or two and reintroduce ourselves to our families at 11 p.m. the last couple of weeks,” Franzen said.

"The grinding stops when classes start and we get into the regular- season schedule," he said.

But a new commitment to public relations will keep Franzen and his staff busy this fall.

The Tiger football staff has a full schedule of watching area high school games and a desire to make a solid connection with Crete.

"The charge is to make a quality experience, an educational experience and to enjoy the experience," Franzen said.

Lind is ecstatic about the prospects for his final season at Doane.

"Our record is not the best, but we have been in the games when we had no depth and now, we've got some depth and signs we're going to keep building," said the criminal justice major from Harrisburg. "It's another transition, but everybody here is competing for playing time and it's fun again."

Lind also is impressed with the Tiger offense.

"We have to go against our offense all the time and they have guys, like Dai'Re at running back, and it's almost impossible to tackle him in the open field," Lind said. "There are track athletes at receiver and at running back and they can run."

Doane opens at home Saturday with a 1 p.m. game with powerful Morningside.

"This is always a tough conference and we'll get a good measure of where we are right away," Franzen said. "We know we're building but we also expect to play well while we're building."

Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or at khambleton@journalstar.com.