Teammates turned foes when Syverson and Drews meet in St. John’s-Bethel MIAC opener

COLLEGEVILLE, MINN. – Aaron Syverson was the starting quarterback for the Minnetonka Skippers for two seasons, including as a junior in 2017 when they lost to Eden Prairie 38-17 for the Class 6A Prep Bowl title.

Cole Kramer was the rival quarterback that night, and again the next year, when Eden Prairie eliminated the Skippers in the quarterfinals.

Kramer spent five seasons at Minnesota, and finally made his first start and had his moment in quarterbacking the Gophers to a 30-24 victory over Bowling Green in last December’s Quick Lane Bowl.

“It was close between Kramer and Aaron, and the Gophers went with Kramer,” said Dave Nelson, Syverson’s Minnetonka coach. “Colorado State recruited Aaron as a walk-on. Aaron was right on the edge talent-wise to play at that level.”

Syverson was redshirted with Mike Bobo as the coach in 2019, and then did not play for new coach Steve Addazio during the Rams’ four-game COVID-19 schedule in 2020.

“I was driven by the idea that I would play in Division I [FBS],” Syverson said this week. “Maybe it was tied to not playing for two years, but I found out that I didn’t like it. At that level, football rates No. 1, 2 and 3 in your life. They own you.

“I love football — preparing, competing — but not to that extent.”

Syverson went directly to looking at the MIAC, where his main options became St. John’s and Bethel.

The conversation with then-coach Steve Johnson and others at Bethel was encouraging, but there was this problem: Jaran Roste was the incumbent and one of the best Division III quarterbacks in the country.

“Jaran turned out to be a sixth-year [player], too,” Syverson said. “At Bethel, I would’ve been behind a great quarterback for two years.”

Meantime, in Collegeville, coach Gary Fasching was open to competition for the quarterback position. Syverson came to St. John’s with four years of DIII eligibility remaining.

He earned the starting job for 2021, and the early season included a 31-25 home victory over Bethel and Roste.

Then in Game 7 at Gustavus, as the Johnnies were rolling to a 37-7 victory, Syverson was running a called quarterback draw for the first time all season and suffered a broken leg.

“That field has not been kind to me,” Syverson said this week.

Chris Backes, a determined senior, took over and the Johnnies went 11-0 before losing 31-28 in the second round of the NCAA playoffs to Linfield (Ore.).

Syverson quarterbacked the Johnnies through two more seasons. Roste and Bethel took away the 2022 MIAC title and made a run to the Division III quarterfinals in Roste’s sixth and last college year.

The Johnnies and Syverson lost at home to Wartburg (Iowa) 23-20 in the second round that season. And then came 2023, when St. John’s was upset at Gustavus 38-35 in late October, didn’t reach the MIAC title game (Bethel 31, Gusties 7) and didn’t get a bid to the Division III playoffs.

“The Gustavus loss ended with an interception on the goal line,” Syverson said. “To look at that as keeping us out of the playoffs … it was tough to take.”

There was a team meeting when the season officially was over, and Syverson told his teammates that he would not be back.

There were three or four quarterbacks with potential in the St. John’s program to replace him, with junior Zander Dittbenner as the probable front-runner. Then in January, Syverson announced a change of mind: he was going to take that one last shot with Johnnies football.

“Everybody seemed to be for it … except my parents,” said Syverson, smiling. “They kind of thought it was time to start working.”

Mom and Dad came around. Brother Elliott was among those saying, “Play.” Sister Elise is there for games with her two little kids.

The announcement did change the plans for quarterback Cooper Drews, a sophomore-to-be from Princeton High. He had not played as a freshman. Drews asked Fasching what were his chances to play in 2024, and the coach said, “I don’t see you playing ahead of Aaron, Cooper.”

Drews announced on social media in July that he was looking to transfer. Bethel and new head coach Mike McElroy had an immediate interest. Alex Call, an underclassman who had played before being injured in 2023, was not back on the team (he’s a Bethel baseball standout).

Drews enrolled at Bethel in time for the start of fall practice. He won the job while also learning a new offense from Bethel teams of the past — a one-back, wide-open style brought in by Colin Duling, after that attack put up big numbers at Berry College in Georgia.

Bethel played its second game Saturday at Wisconsin-Eau Claire and totaled 456 yards in a 51-30 victory.

Drews went 30-for-41 for 294 yards and five touchdowns. He fed the star receivers, Joey Kidder and Micah Niewald, for a combined 18 catches for 212 yards. Kidder had four touchdowns.

“I liked everything about St. John’s, the coaches, teammates, the classes, but Aaron decided to come back and we went through spring ball … I wanted at least a chance to play,” Drews said. “I would say that I fully decided over the Fourth of July to check what might be out there.”

At the same time, McElroy was not set on a quarterback at Bethel.

And now this: “Drews, 6-5, good arm, athletic enough to be an outstanding basketball player, meets Kidder and Co.” Seemed like a no-brainer.

And come Saturday, with 7,000 or more people crowded onto the rise in Arden Hills that houses Bethel’s football stadium, the Johnnies and Royals will open their MIAC schedules, with Syverson making a 32nd start (27-4) and Drews making a third (2-0).

Drews heard from Augsburg and was offered a scholarship by Jamestown (N.D.), which is headed into the Division II Northern Sun, but Bethel giving him a chance to win the job … as mentioned, “no-brainer.”

Syverson? “He’s a really good guy,” Drews said. “Everyone will tell you that.”

Old enough to be your uncle? “I wouldn’t go that far,” answered Drews, smiling.