By Frank Rajkowski, SJU Writer/Video Producer

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Chris Backes knows all about the pressure that comes with being the starting quarterback on the Saint John's football team.

The Johnnie senior literally grew up around the program, getting a first-hand glimpse behind the scenes as his father Bryan '87 – the longtime activities director at Saint John's Prep - helped call the team's games on the radio.

"I've been going to Johnnie games for as long as I can remember," Chris recalled. "Growing up, I loved coming out here on Saturdays and throwing the ball around while my Dad was up in the press box. 

"And even when I wasn't there, I tuned in to listen to him. So I was pretty familiar with the program long before I decided to come here."

For the past three seasons, though, he has been inside the team's quarterback room – studying and learning from Jackson Erdmann '19, a four-year starter who graduated following last season as the MIAC's all-time leader in both passing yardage (11,639) and touchdown passes (139).

Last fall, he was Erdmann's top backup as the Johnnies finished 12-2 overall and advanced to the NCAA Division III national semifinals for the first time since winning a national championship in 2003.

"Anyone who's been around Saint John's football knows the pressure that comes with playing quarterback here," said Backes, a 2017 St. Cloud Tech (Minnesota) High School graduate, who was 16 of 18 passing for 157 yards and two touchdowns when he got on the field in relief of Erdmann a year ago while also serving as the team's holder on field goal and extra-point attempts.

"The expectation is to compete for an MIAC title and a national championship every year. The standards have been set incredibly high."

And perhaps no one set them higher than Erdmann, a two-time All-American who ended his career in possession of nine school passing records.

"I learned so much just from watching him," Backes said. "The preparation and dedication he had was amazing. You saw how much work was required to play at the level he played at."

But Backes, who starts out as the front-runner in the race to take Erdmann's place, is no stranger to hard work himself – on or off the field.

He was a three-year starter at Tech, who earned All-State honors during a senior season in which he threw for 2,090 yards and 19 touchdowns. 

Among his receivers were Brevyn Spann-Ford, who has gone on to make an impact at the University of Minnesota, and James Kaczor, now a standout defensive contributor at perennial FCS national champion North Dakota State.

In the classroom, Backes is an economics major who maintains a 4.0 GPA and has earned the MIAC's prestigious Elite 22 award the past two seasons. That honor goes to the player with the highest GPA on a team that finished in the top two in the conference's regular-season standings.

He's also the recruitment director for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital fundraising efforts at CSB and SJU, and has been elected to serve as president of the SJU Student Athlete Advisory Committee for the 2020-21 school year.

"Over the years I've been here, as both an assistant and now as the head coach, we've been blessed to have so many really intelligent quarterbacks," SJU head coach Gary Fasching '81 said. "Guys like Tom Linnemann '00, Ryan Keating '03, Alex Kofoed '07, Joe Boyle '11, Nick Martin '16 and Jackson (Erdmann). 

"Chris is cut from the same cloth as those guys. He's been our top backup and now he has the chance to be the next in line."

In a normal year, of course, the Johnnies would already know who the next guys in line at quarterback and other open positions are. 

But 2020 is no ordinary year.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic wiped out what would have been an extended spring practice period – including both a spring game and a trip to Canada to scrimmage. 

Then, in July, the MIAC announced competition in a number of fall sports – including football – would be postponed until spring, when a limited five-game schedule is planned.

That decision was made after the NCAA Division III Management Council approved a proposal on July 21 that allowed schools and conferences to move or extend fall sports practices and competition into the spring. 

Under the proposal, playing seasons are being defined by the number of days, not weeks, and those days do not have to be consecutive. The waiver allows for both 114 days of practice and a competitive season this academic year.

Training, practice and other athletically related activities for all teams in their traditional or non-traditional seasons are permitted in accordance with Division III rules and campus, state and NCAA health directives. 

Which means Backes and his teammates are practicing this fall in addition to their practice and game schedule in the newly formed spring season - totaling no more than a combined 114 days between the two.

The football team began their fall practices Monday, Sept. 14, with only a set number of players allowed in the locker room at the same time and players organized by pods inside their position groups.

"For example, we have 40 linebackers, so they'll be broken up into four pods and everyone will be kept at the proper social distance," Fasching said.

"But our goal is to still have practices that feel meaningful. We have a lot we need to get accomplished. Because what we do in practice this fall is going to go a long way toward determining how good a football team we're going to be next spring.

"Our goal is to come out of the fall knowing who the starters are going to be at our open positions."

But while the circumstances are decidedly different from past years, Backes knows expectations haven't changed.

"These are unchartered waters for everyone," he said, recounting team Zoom meetings in which all 200-plus players and the team's coaching staff have been present, placing a premium on everyone's ability to master the use of the mute button in order for proceeding to flow smoothly. 

"None of us have ever been through an experience like this before. But even though we're not playing games this fall, we still have to be focused on getting better every day. I may have been the No. 2 quarterback last season, but the starting job doesn't belong to me. There is going to be a lot of competition there, just like at every other position. And we're all going to have a chance to show what we can do."
 
.