DECORAH - Forget the pep talks and motivational speeches.

Nobody in Luther College's football program needs a reminder of how last season played out.

Stocked with playmakers on offense and the momentum of three consecutive 6-4 seasons, the Norse expected to vie for an Iowa Conference championship.

Instead, Luther registered its worst season during Paul Hefty's five years at 2-8 overall and 1-7 in the league.

"It was very disappointing, but it makes us want to go out and prove that's not the team we are this year," senior linebacker Brandt Rost said during the team's media day Wednesday. "It was just a chain of events that snowballed."

Luther dropped two games in overtime, including a 19-13 defeat to league champion Central. A week later, it lost to Buena Vista in overtime. Sandwiched around those were six- and seven-point losses.

"Last year was a fluke," quarterback Justy Feldt said. "Things just didn't go our way."

It didn't take long for Luther to put 2006 in the rearview mirror, either.

"Right after the season, there was nothing that needed to be said," Hefty said. "We don't talk about it. We've moved forward."

But the players still remember.

"It's discussed, but not publicly," Rost said. "We get asked a lot, 'How were you last year? Well, we were 2-8, but that's not us.' We're going to fix it, and we're going to go back out and do better."

Hefty labeled the offseason the best during his time at Luther. Besides a heavy emphasis on weightlifting and training, Luther took an eight-day trip to Europe in late May, giving the Norse additional practice time and an opportunity to build team chemistry.

"The offseason, Europe and the spring gave us a chance to get that bad taste out of our mouths," Hefty said. "That's why we're excited and confident because of the effort that last season motivated us to have in the offseason."

While the Norse did graduate quarterback Zach Sweers, who set the school's single-season mark for passing yardage (2,652), and two of the school's all-time best receivers in Kyle Pearson and Brett Scheetz, it does welcome back tailback Tyler Sherden.

The senior from Rochester, Minn., missed last season after having surgery on his right shoulder in June 2006. As a sophomore, Sherden rushed for 1,057 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was on pace to eclipse that total as a junior before the shoulder injury and separated ribs ended his season after five games.

"I'm stronger than I was before I had the surgery," said Sherden, who qualified for the Division III track and field nationals in the 400 meters last spring. "I know my speed is there and by sitting out a year, I really learned a lot about the offense and the big picture."

Sherden, who has put on 15 pounds since last season, had a lengthy rehabilitation process, not doing any football-related activities for six months.

"Football is what motivated me to do all the rehab," he said. "I knew I was going to be back for one more opportunity."

With a new quarterback in Feldt, who has been a backup the last three years, Sherden could be expected to carry much of the load early with Jesup alum Adam Lamos, who rushed for 639 yards last season, and halfback Tyler Bass.

"It gives you a little sense of security having him," Hefty said of Sherden. "You know you've got a proven Iowa Conference ball-carrier and a great leader. It'd be foolish to think we wouldn't find different ways to make sure he gets the ball like he did before."

That, coupled with a veteran offensive line and a defense that returns its entire group of linebackers and defensive backs, has the Norse optimistic.

"Whether we have more or less talent this year, it really doesn't matter," receiver Tony Brantner said. "We're motivated way beyond that.

"We had good stats last year, but that didn't give us more than two wins."

Luther must tackle a daunting schedule to start the season with road games at St. Olaf (Minn.) and Central, along with Wartburg in its home opener Sept. 22.

"Last year, we had really high standards, not to say we don't this year, but we don't feel the pressure that we put on ourselves last year," Sherden said. "I like our attitude this year, and we have a lot of enthusiasm on our team."

Contact Matt Coss at (319) 291-1468 or matt.coss@wcfcourier.com

2007 SCHEDULE

Sept. 1 - at St. Olaf (Minn.), 12:30 p.m.

Sept. 15 - at Central, 1 p.m.

Sept. 22 - Wartburg, 1 p.m.

Sept. 29 - at Cornell, 1 p.m.

Oct. 6 - Loras, 1 p.m.

Oct. 13 - Buena Vista, 1 p.m.

Oct. 20 - Waldorf, 1 p.m.

Oct. 27 - at Coe, 1 p.m.

Nov. 3 - Simpson, 1 p.m.

Nov. 10 - at Dubuque, noon