Don't be surprised if University of Mary defensive coordinator Mike McMahon starts sprouting gray hairs around his temples.

Planning to stop teams like Bemidji State and Wayne State will do that to a coach.

McMahon had to try to come up with a plan to counter Bemidji State option quarterback Derek Edholm in a 21-7 loss on Saturday in the final game of the season at the Community Bowl.

McMahon will have to come up with a plan for this week to stop a similar quarterback, Silas Fluellen of Wayne State, when the Marauders close out their football season on the road.

Edholm entered Saturday's game with 103 rushes for 309 yards and seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior from Anoka, Minn., has passed for 1,299 more yards and 20 touchdowns.

He threw for 190 more and added a pair of scores against U-Mary. The Marauders held Edholm in check running the ball. He had only 14 yards on 13 carries.

"With all the quarterback runs, they have done that all year, and they have been exceptional at it," McMahon said. "They are very smart with their scheme and the way they do it. They throw vertical routes in difficult situations because you're down there trying to stop that quarterback run."

Fluellen, a 6-1 senior from Bellevue, Neb., has rushed for 414 yards on 122 attempts and four touchdowns. He has passed for 3,033 yards and has thrown 22 touchdowns.

"Anytime you're (planning) against an option team, as a defensive coordinator, you're stressed that week," McMahon said.

Not only did McMahon have to prepare for Edholm, but he also had to worry about Dustin Kroeplin, who racked up 105 yards on 20 carries.

"He's a gifted running back," McMahon said. "To play as a true freshman at Bemidji State, I think you've got to be a pretty good talent. We'll find out watching the film tomorrow how many times we missed him."

Bemidji State averages 33.3 points a game. U-Mary held the Beavers to 21 points. The Marauders defense did hold the Beavers on third down, only allowing them to convert 6 of 16 attempts and 1 of 3 on fourth downs.

U-Mary did get three sacks with Caleb Thompson and James Patterson picking up one each. Xavaier Cleveland and Ryan Nelson shared a quarterback sack.

Linebacker Josh Winfield paced U-Mary with 10 tackles.

"We played well at times," McMahon said. "It's one of those games where you look back and wish you had a couple plays back. It was three mistakes immediately that were key and crucial mistakes."

On Bemidji State's first touchdown, a 14-yard pass from Edholm to Troy Dale, was a blown assignment, McMahon said.

Edholm also completed an 82-yard touchdown strike to Cameron Abram in the second quarter, with the ball going through the hands of defensive back Sean Ziehlke.

"He was the only deep player in that zone," McMahon said. "I think he just miss timed his jump. It was one of those things where it was going to be a pick or a touchdown. Unfortunately, it went the other way."

Lau returns

U-Mary quarterback Henry Lau returned under center after missing 1½ games with a concussion.

The 6-5, 240-pound senior from Menomonee Falls, Wis., completed 23 of 45 passes for 225 yards. There is one stat he's like to rub out - three picks.

"I knew I didn't make some good decisions," Lau said. "I feel like I let them down making dumb plays. I was just trying to make something happen and ended up forcing stuff. I probably should have ran it instead of trying to force it."

Lau did take a shot to the head that chipped some paint off his helmet, but said he felt fine.

He also limped through a good portion of the second half when his right knee got stepped on.

Lau was sacked three times.

First blocked punt

U-Mary punter Rett Thibodeaux got blocked for the first time this season.

Thibodeaux inherited punting duties part way through last season. The senior from La Porte, Texas, had gotten off 76 straight punts without getting blocked until Bemidji State's Aaron Roland broke the streak on Thibodeaux's first punt on Saturday.

Bemidji State got the ball at the U-Mary 25 and scored in four plays at 7:47 of the first quarter.

"That was not Rett's fault," U-Mary coach Myron Schulz said. "One of our guys got ran over by one of their guys."

Thibodeaux didn't see Roland steamrolling toward him.

"It was just bad luck," Thibodeaux said. "They came from the up and under on the inside. I think I took a little step to the right and it went in the back of Drew (Peterson). Everything felt good. It felt like I got it off fine."

This and that

n On Bemidji State's first drive, U-Mary held the Beavers to a fourth-and-12 at Bemidji's 43. U-Mary defensive back Marcus Parence was called for a 15-yard personal foul penalty for roughing the punter. U-Mary had four penalties for 80 yards.

n U-Mary defensive lineman EJ Reid was injured when Bemidji State kicked a PAT on its first touchdown. It appeared that Reid injured his shoulder or collarbone on the play, and he didn't return.

n U-Mary seniors who played their last home game were: Lau; Thibodeaux; Reid; Winfield; defensive backs Phillip Thomas, Tim Brown and Amir Madison; wide receiver Alex Gilbertson; linebacker Kevin Swan; offensive linemen Erick Capetillo, Nick Thornton-Jack and L.T. Brown; defensive linemen Patterson and Victor Ohumukini III.