By Frank Rajkowski, SJU Writer/Video Producer

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Bryan Backes '87 prides himself on trying to keep an even keel in his role as an analyst on radio broadcasts of Saint John's University football.

For 21 years now – through dramatic victories, historical milestones and even a national championship – he's largely managed to do just that.

But the task has perhaps never been as tough as it was in SJU's thrilling 29-28 come-from-behind win over Bethel Nov. 13 in the inaugural MIAC championship game at Royal Stadium in Arden Hills.

A 3-yard touchdown reception by junior tight end Alex Larson (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) with one second left tied the score in a game in which the Johnnies had trailed up to that moment. The extra point sealed the victory and the MIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs (see video below).



The quarterback throwing the game-winning pass was Backes' son Chris, who after years in a backup role was thrust into the starting job after a season-ending injury to sophomore Aaron Syverson (Minnetonka, Minn.) earlier this fall.

The younger Backes, a senior, has led his team to four straight wins (including the game in which Syverson was hurt). But it is the one Saturday that SJU fans will be talking about for years to come.

"That last play was so surreal," Bryan Backes said. "It was fourth down, the clock was ticking and everything was on the line.

"When Alex made the catch, my knees buckled and I had to put my head down on the counter in front of me for a moment. (Play-by-play announcer) Mark (Lewandowski) and (fellow analyst) Mike (Carr) both patted me on the back.

"We've all been together a long time now, so they knew what the moment meant to me. I just had to take a bit to collect my thoughts."

He was right back at work in seconds, though, pointing out that the Johnnies still needed to kick the extra point, and that junior long snapper Jack Eibensteiner (North Oaks, Minn./Totino-Grace) had suffered an injury earlier in the game. 

That was doing his job. But the emotion moments before was the reaction of an incredibly proud father.

"It was a really special moment, and it was even more special that he was there to call it," said Chris Backes (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech), whose 10-0 team received one of the four top seeds in the 32-team Division III playoff bracket and begins the postseason by playing host to 10-0 Lake Forest (Ill.) at noon Saturday in Clemens Stadium.

"I grew up going to games with him and listening to him on the radio. So knowing he was up there for that just made it even better."

Backes made several big plays on the game-winning drive, which started at his team's own 29-yard line. With 1:59 left to play, the Johnnies were advancing into swirling snow showers with no timeouts remaining.

After two incomplete passes, Backes found sophomore wide receiver Jimmy Buck (Orono, Minn.) for a gain of 36 yards that advanced the ball to the Bethel 35. He then scampered 25 yards to set up 1st-and-goal at the 10.

Four plays later, he put the ball where only the 6-foot-7 Larson could get it near the pylon on the SJU side of the end zone.

"Chris showed incredible poise in the second half after we were down 21-8 (at halftime)," SJU head coach Gary Fasching '81 said of his quarterback, who also led the team in rushing – carrying the ball 16 times for 103 yards and a touchdown.  

"On the last drive, his confidence and composure were very evident. He never panicked. The run that he made after the pass to Jimmy was one of the best runs I've ever seen, and it put us in the position to win the game."

"That whole drive was so intense," Bryan Backes added. "The clock kept running down. I was doing everything I could to keep calm and help call the game. But inside I was praying. My mom passed away almost a year ago on Nov. 22, 2020, and I was asking her to help Chris come through.

"Knowing all the time he's put it, and the way his path has gone at Saint John's, it was so great to see that happen."

"I can't say enough good things about the guy"
His father was far from the only one thrilled to see Chris finally get his moment in the sun. Just about anyone who's spent any time around him during his career in Collegeville will tell you they were feeling the same way.

After being the top backup to All-American Jackson Erdmann '19 as the Johnnies advanced to the Division III semifinals in 2019, Backes was in line to be the starter last fall until the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the season.

Then the talented Syverson transferred in from Division I Colorado State and earned the No. 1 spot.

But Backes didn't hang his head, instead channeling his efforts into helping make Syverson as successful as possible. He was, leading SJU to a 6-0 record before getting injured at Gustavus Adolphus.

"Chris has been so great," Syverson said earlier this season before the injury. "If you ask anyone on this team, no one will have anything remotely negative to say about him. He's just a fantastic individual on and off the field.

"He did everything he could to get me up to speed, and I know that probably wasn't easy or fun for him. But he couldn't have been nicer to me and we've become pretty good friends."

Erdmann, who got to know Backes quite well in the Johnnies' quarterback room for three seasons, couldn't agree more with that assessment.

"I would not have had the success I had without Chris being there," said Erdmann, who was on hand at Bethel last weekend. "It was so nice having a backup who just wanted to do what was best for the team. Sometimes when a guy isn't No. 1, they can get upset and it can turn a little toxic. But that was never the case with Chris. He did everything he could to help me get ready each week.

"He's so knowledgeable about the game. He understood exactly what we were trying to do and what we needed to do in a given situation to get it done. It meant so much having him there.

"Aaron is a really talented player too," Erdmann continued. "So I know that couldn't have been easy for Chris. But the way he responded just shows you the kind of person he is. That's 100 percent authentic. He is all about doing what is best for the team. If I had been in that situation, I really hope I'd have handled it as well as he did."

"I can't say enough good things about the guy."

But Backes is quick to point out that Syverson has taken the exact same approach since getting injured.

"He's constantly helping me," Backes said. "He makes sure I know what to look for and he helps me prepare each week. He was in the booth at Bethel last week and that helped a lot. You never want to see anybody get hurt. But he's still doing everything in his power to help us be successful as a team."

The road forward
Backes, an economics major, will graduate in December and has already accepted a full-time job with Applied Policy Research Inc., which handles data consulting for colleges and universities. He's currently working part-time for the company while he finishes his college career.

The three-time Academic All-MIAC selection has also led the Johnnies' fundraising efforts for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital the past couple of seasons, has volunteered as part of the team's Tackle Cancer Initiative and served as president of the SJU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee during the 2020-21 school year.

Those efforts are a big part of why he was one of 22 players across all divisions of college football to be named to the 2020 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team – the fourth consecutive and fifth overall Johnnies' player to be so honored.

"I've been very fortunate to have been raised in a privileged environment," Backes said. "It's really important to me to give back and to try and make a difference in whatever ways I can."

And the Johnnies will continue looking to Backes to make a difference on the field as the postseason begins this week.

"We were fortunate enough to get a No. 1 seed and now we have to take advantage of it," Backes said.

"We've had a good season, but the playoffs are a whole different level. All we have to do is look at 2019. We were able to advance to the semifinals, but we could have easily lost in the first round to Aurora (Ill.). So you have to take it week-by-week. Right now, all of our focus is on going 1-0 against Lake Forest this Saturday."

And perhaps providing another memorable moment for his father to analyze over the airwaves of the Johnnie Radio Network.

"It's funny because Mark and I actually called the first game Chris started in high school at Tech as well," said Bryan Backes, also the activities and athletics director at Saint John's Preparatory School. "So I've been lucky enough to get to do a number of his games over the years. And I almost like that better than sitting in the bleachers.

"It keeps me focused in the moment and saves me from getting too nervous as a Dad."