2006 PAC Football Preview

Bethany Bison (1-9 Overall, 0-6 PAC)
The 2006 season will begin for the Bethany College football program on Friday, August 11, when the Bison report for their first training camp under the guidance of new head coach Tim Weaver.

In his first campaign roaming the sidelines for BC after serving as the defensive coordinator at Harvard University and Columbia University, Weaver will be the fourth head coach at Bethany in the last six years. Although the program has won just three games in the last three years, Weaver and his staff bring a large sense of optimism for the upcoming year.

“I am more than pleased with the response from the players through the spring and in the off-season,” said Weaver, a 1990 graduate of Davidson College. “The commitment, work ethic and intensity have been where we need it to be and it set a good tone for camp.”

The Bison started the 2005 season on a high note, defeating Franklin & Marshall 34-21, before dropping nine consecutive games to end the year. Injuries took their toll on BC a season ago, which allowed numerous young players to gain valuable game experience, something which should benefit the Green and White in 2006. In all, 35 letterwinners are back, which includes 16 starters, with seven on each side of the ball.

The quarterback position will have two experienced signal-callers battling it out for the starting nod in camp. Senior Brent Owens played in nine games in 2005 and completed 56-of-123 aerials for 557 yards and five scores. Sophomore Matt Blumer started the season finale against Carnegie Mellon and threw for 223 yards and a pair of TDs.

“We expect a good competition between Blumer and Owens,” said Weaver. “They are similar in that both are good athletes, good leaders and football-smart kids. Matt gained an early advantage in the spring while Brent played baseball, but we’ll see how things go in camp.”

While Weaver is hoping one of them wins the job in camp, he also says the battle could go on through the early part of the year.

“While we’d like have to have one QB, it’s harder in D-III because you can’t watch live action in the spring,” said Weaver. “So we only have these 25 practices to evaluate them. If neither one of them wins the job early, then we’ll play both in the non-conference games until someone steps up.”

Also in the backfield, Weaver likes the depth he has at tailback, while the fullback position could be a concern. Returning at tailback is senior Joe Ford, who led BC with 345 yards rushing a year ago. Also returning is sophomore Nicholas Neratka, who saw limited time last season.

“We have pretty good depth at tailback with Ford and Neratka,” said Weaver. “Both are guys we can give it to, as well as throw the ball to out of the backfield. Neither is real big, so I imagine they will share the load.

“The fullback spot is a concern,” said Weaver. “There is no one returning with experience, so we are looking to fill that position with a possible position switch or a freshman. Even though we would prefer to go with two-back sets to help run the ball, we won’t force anything. We’ll go with one-back sets if needed.”

On the outside, Weaver is very pleased with what he has back at receiver. Senior T.J. Parker caught 43 passes for 656 yards and a new Bethany single-season record nine touchdowns a year ago. One of the Bison captains this season, he enters the year ranked fourth in all-time receptions at the College with 104, as well as fifth in yards (1,483) and tied for third in TD receptions (13).

Junior Milton Joyner also returns after he hauled in 43 passes for 513 yards and three scores. After just two years, Joyner is tied for ninth all-time at BC with 92 catches. Add in senior Ronnell Heard, senior tight end Mike Elias (who hauled in 16 passes for 302 yards and one TD last year), and a host of newcomers and one can see why Weaver is excited about the receiver spot.

“I love our guys at that position,” said Weaver. “T.J. and Milton are back and are proven commodities and I’m excited about Ronnell Heard moving to wideout. Elias will also be featured significantly, as we will move him around and line him up in different spots. Overall, we feel we have quality guys we can get the ball to in the passing game.”

The key to whether the passing game will be able to work this season will be the play of the offensive line, which surrendered 47 sacks last season. Senior center Steve Bernacki, an Honorable Mention All-PAC pick in ’05, will be the veteran anchor, while senior tackle Matt Brady is another experienced player. Sophomores Justin Elkins, Brandon Essington and Brian Liptock saw considerable time as freshmen and will use that experience to try to hold off a solid group of freshmen.

“The offensive line will be young and inexperienced,” said Weaver. “This is a group that will have to come together and do it quickly for us to be good. Even though we aren’t very experienced, I like our size and athleticism. We will look to Bernacki for leadership and Brady is also experienced. Elkins, Essington and Liptock are big, strong athletic guys who should be good players. We also feel we recruited the position very well, so we believe we could be pretty deep along the front.”

Experience and depth could be an issue on the defensive line as well. Senior Vince Botti, who had 17 tackles and two sacks last year, is expected to lead this group, as well as senior Chris Brady, who tied for the team-lead with four sacks.

Other returnees include senior Brian Masucci, who switches over from fullback, junior Rodney Fleegle, and sophomores Chris Boland  and Will Newcomb.

“There isn’t a lot of experience along the defensive line and depth could be a problem too,” said Weaver. “Botti should be the leader of the group and Brady has also played a lot. Masucci changed to defensive tackle in the spring in a successful position switch. And we’re excited to see how Boland, Fleegle and Newcomb improve during the year.

Linebacker will be the Bison’s top spot on defense, led by a pair of Honorable Mention All-PAC selections. Senior Cliff Anderson (left), the other BC captain this year, made 100 tackles a year ago, including nine for losses. Junior Chance Kildow played much of last year at defensive end but shifts back after totaling 47 stops.

Also returning at ‘backer is senior Bill Wineberg after he made 69 hits last year, and junior Michael Wells, who missed all but one game last year because of injury. Combined with a sturdy group of recruits, the Bison should be set in the middle of the field in 2006.

“Linebacker is certainly a position of strength with talented, experienced players,” said Weaver. “Coming off a 100-tackle season, Anderson should lead the way. Wineberg is a good player with experience, Kildow made the successful move from end to linebacker in the spring and Wells had a nice spring. In addition, this was another spot we did a good job recruiting.”

The positions that will really be up for grabs in camp will be in the secondary, where Weaver says every spot is open. The Bison did rank first in 2005 in the PAC in pass defense (159.5 ypg.), but also ranked last in rush defense (205.6), meaning teams didn’t need to throw the ball often. Because the Bison will be fully committed to stopping the run, it will put a bigger spotlight on the secondary, so Weaver says the battles in camp will ensure the best players step forward and earn their starting spots.

“We have a lot of guys in the secondary and there will be competition for every spot,” said Weaver. “Seeing last year’s numbers, we are making a commitment defensively to stopping the run. It will put the secondary in more pressure-filled situations but they must come together and improve quickly.

Special teams are another area that Weaver will work with quite a bit in camp. Elias returns as the team’s punter after averaging 36.9 yards per kick last season. The return games will be spearheaded by Neratka, who averaged 17.7 yards per kickoff return to rank third in the PAC. The one open spot is kicker, which could see a committee-approach taken by Weaver.

“We feel good about Elias at punter,” said Weaver. “And we have talented skill guys for returns. Neratka had a good year and Ford and Parker would make good returners as well. We have enough guys who can catch the ball and run to improve that area of the game.

“Kicker is a concern,” said Weaver. “It will be up for grabs in camp and could be a case where we have one player kickoff, another kick extra points and a third handle field goals. But overall, we will practice and meet on special teams a lot to constantly improve that phase.”

Trying to rebuild the Bison program through recruiting, Weaver and his staff will bring in nearly 40 new players to camp this season. And while he doesn’t want to single anyone out as to who could contribute right away, Weaver says some of these players will be able to help this year.

“Our staff deserves a lot of credit for bringing in this class since we got off to such a late start,” said Weaver. “We identified that we had needs on both sides of the ball and went out to fill those holes. Because we have such a young team, some of them will have to step up and contribute right away, even if they aren’t completely ready. But we are going to look at everyone in camp and the best kids will have a chance to show what they can do in early games.”

Heading into his first training camp, Weaver has set several goals for his program to meet. But overall, his goals for camp are the same as his goals for the season and include striving for improvement every day.

“Our first goal is to change the attitude of this football program,” said Weaver. “Our biggest job is for the players to learn bad things will happen. But it’s how we recover from those things and not fold when we have a turnover, give up a long score or have to punt. Adjusting that attitude and moving forward after something bad happens will be key this season.

“Other goals we have are making a commitment to ball security on offense, having attention to detail on special teams and making teams work for scores on defense and not allowing cheap points,” said Weaver. “But overall, with such a young program, I just want to see us focus on getting better every day in camp and improving every week during the season.”

 

Grove City Wolverines (3-7 Overall, 2-4 PAC)
The Grove City College football team features 15 returning starters and 35 lettermen as the 2006 season approaches. Grove City is well-stocked on both the offensive and defensive lines as well as in the offensive backfield.

Grove City will also feature a 16-player senior class, one of the program’s largest in recent years. The Wolverines will rely on that group and numerous talented underclassmen in their quest for the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title and a postseason berth.

Offense
Eight starters return on offense in 2006, including four on the offensive line. Senior guards Fred Muller and Matt Rice are both three-year starters while senior right tackle Bob Perri is a two-year starter and three-year letterman. Senior Howie Riley has started at center, guard and tackle while junior center Matt Gregg earned All-PAC honors in 2005.

The lone vacancy is at left tackle where junior Greg Frisch has an inside track to start. Frisch saw time at both tackle positions in 2005.

Sophomore linemen Adam Bozich, Brandon McHugh, Jerry Neilly and Dave Salera could all challenge for time up front.

Senior tight end Dan Jeltes is entering his third year as a starter. He finished third on the team in receptions last year. Sophomore Matt Six is the top reserve at tight end and is competing for time.

At split end, senior Scott Fichter returns after hauling in a team-high 39 catches last year. He led Grove City in receptions in each of the team’s 10 games in 2005. A converted quarterback, Fichter is a two-year letterwinner.

Several candidates are battling for time in Grove City’s multi-receiver sets. Rangy junior Jay Yanak earned his first letter in 2005 while senior Bryan Hanna and junior Matt Kulinski are both veterans at split end.

To say that the Wolverines are deep at the running back positions may be an understatement. No less than seven backs are competing for the three starting positions. Junior fullback Matt Weil (right) led Grove City in rushing with 410 yards last year in only six games. Fellow junior fullback Wes Basham, a bruising 235-pounder, added 200 yards last year.

At wingback, senior Seth Fox and junior Ian Tobin both played extensively in 2005. Both are big-play threats from that position. Sophomore 220-pounders Alex Bolmgren and Brian Mercer each lettered in 2005. Both can play either fullback or wingback are expected to challenge for starting positions.

Senior Greg Reinbold, a three-year veteran of the Grove City backfield, is also in the mix at fullback.

While many pieces of the offensive puzzle are already in place, the Wolverines must fill the quarterback position. Sophomore Stephen Mercer is the lone veteran quarterback on the preseason roster. He appeared in four games as a freshman in 2005, completing 13 of 26 attempts.

Mercer will compete with several incoming freshmen for the starting position this season.

Defense
The Wolverines return five starters from a defensive unit that allowed just 2.9 yards per carry in 2005. Four of those starters are in the front seven.

Up front, senior defensive tackle Jordan Johnston and senior defensive end Richard Welch are both returning starters. Johnston is a two-year starter at both defensive tackle and nose tackle while Welch has been a pass-rushing force for two years.

Also back are junior defensive linemen Justin Fowler and Ross McCracken. Fowler lettered at both end and tackle last year while McCracken emerged as a part-time starter at defensive end last year.

Sophomores Ryan Rylands and Jason Dudas each lettered in 2005 and are also going to contend for a starting position.

Grove City also returns two starting linebackers in senior middle linebacker Garret Choby and junior weakside linebacker Bill Waugh. Choby notched 73 tackles last year in his first year as a starter while Waugh ranked second on the squad with 78 stops.

The strongside linebacker position is up for grabs. Sophomores Adam Eichler and Ian Minster both lettered as special teams standouts in 2005. Sophomore Matt Thompson is also in the mix after suffering a season-ending injury early last year.

Grove City’s depth at linebacker could allow the team to deploy four linebackers in some schemes.

The Wolverines do have some vacancies in the defensive backfield, however. All-American strong safety Aaron Margo, four-year starting free safety Ross Trimmer and starting cornerback Dave Issler all graduated. Still, Grove City has several veterans returning in the secondary.

Senior Chris Schwamberger moved into the starting lineup at left cornerback last year. Senior Clay Piper played extensively as a nickelback in both 2004 and 2005. He will take over as the starting free safety while sophomore Shane Coughlin has the inside track to start at strong safety.

Coughlin played both corner and safety as a freshman and earned the team’s Rookie of the Year award.

Junior cornerback Gary Maurer, sophomore cornerback Mike Baker and transfer Adam Martin all are battling to start in the secondary.

Maurer earned his first letter in 2005 while Baker saw action on special teams.

Special Teams
Special teams should once again be a strength for Grove City. Grove City returns its regular kicker, punter, holder and snapper this year.

Junior Brandon McCall went 4-for-8 on field goals last year. He handled all of Grove City’s place-kicking duties. Sophomore Brad Stombaugh will likely challenge McCall this year.

Fifth-year senior Henry Johnston returns for his third year as Grove City’s punter. He placed 13 punts inside the 20-yard line last year. Johnston earned All-PAC honors in 2004.

Jordan Johnston will snap for field goals and extra points. Fowler has long-snapping ability and could fill that role this year. Kulinski will once again hold for place-kicks.

Fichter is back as the punt returner. Bolmgren, Fox and Tobin have all returned kickoffs during their respective careers. The position of primary kick returner will be filled in preseason camp.

Schedule
Newly-renovated Robert E. Thorn Field will host six home games in 2006. Grove City will host Carnegie Mellon in the opener Sept. 9 before opening PAC play the following Saturday against visiting Thomas More. Following a road date at Waynesburg Sept. 23, the Wolverines host Westminster Sept. 30.

Grove City visits Bethany in Week Five. The Wolverines will then welcome Thiel to Thorn Field for Homecoming 2006 on Oct. 14. That game will also be the 23rd annual clash for the Mercer County Cup.

Grove City wraps up conference play at Washington & Jefferson Oct. 21. The Wolverines will then face a pair of new opponents at Thorn Field in non-conference play. Rochester and Grove City will meet for the first time ever Oct. 28 while the following week, Case Western Reserve visits Grove City.

The Wolverines will wrap up the 2006 regular season on Veterans Day against the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. It is Grove City’s first trip to Long Island since 2002.


Thiel Tomcats (11-1 Overall, 6-0 PAC)
The Tomcats’ experience during the 2005 season was certainly a trip into uncharted waters. In 2005 Thiel posted an unblemished 10-0 regular season record, the program’s first-ever NCAA Division III playoff victory and their first Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) title since 1972, but a number of key producers from last season’s 11-1 squad will no longer be wearing the blue and gold. A solid nucleus of 16 starters return for the 2006 campaign and they possess the knowledge and understanding of what it takes to be mentioned among the top teams in Division III.

“Being selected to participate in the NCAA Division III playoffs last year was a tremendous honor and it is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and commitment of our players, coaching staff, and administration. The experience was one last year’s seniors will never forget and has provided tremendous incentive for our returning players in their off-season preparations,” said sixth-year head coach Jack Leipheimer.

Gone this year are perhaps the three most productive offensive players in the history of the program in quarterback Darrell Satterfield, wide receiver Brandon Chambers and offensive tackle Dave Hendricks. Satterfield is tops in career touchdown passes (46) and second in both career passing yards (4870) and career pass completions (375) while leading the Tomcats to an 18-4 (.818) record in his two seasons as a starter. Chambers holds the majority of receiving records, including career receptions (203), career receiving yards (3111) and career touchdown receptions (34). Hendricks started a total of 44 games during his career, anchoring an offensive line that helped the Tomcats average more than 400 yards of total offense per game in 2005.

Thiel will also be without a number of defensive standouts from years past, including ends Jon Howson and Kevin Strouse. Howson finished as the career tackles for loss leader (54.0) and is second all-time in sacks (25.0) while Strouse recorded a single-season best 17.0 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks during his season.

“One of the most rewarding parts of the coaching profession is to see young men mature and develop solid character and leadership traits, which enables them to graduate and become Big Play Makers in their families, churches, and communities. Our program’s success is the direct result of all of the seniors who have graduated from our program – their impact will be felt for a very long time,” said Leipheimer.

Offense
Junior tailback Steve Minton (left) returns to pace a potent offensive attack after rushing for 1,066 yards and 19 touchdowns a year ago, becoming the school’s first-ever 1,000 yard rusher. Heading into just his third season at Thiel, Minton needs just 537 yards to surpass Jackie Jackson ’96 as the program’s all-time rushing leader (2,537) and six touchdowns to pass Jackson (31) as the all-time rushing touchdown leader. Following the 2005 season Minton was named to the first-team All-South region squad and honorable mention All-American by the Football Gazette and earned second-team All-South region accolades by D3football.com.

Also returning to the backfield is sophomore tailback Dan Hess, who put together a terrific freshman campaign with 635 yards and four touchdowns. His most productive stretch came at the end of the season as he replaced an injured Minton. Hest posted 169 yards on 32 carries with a touchdown on the Tomcats’ 50-48 triple-overtime win at Carnegie Mellon University in the regular-season finale before recording 147 yards on 30 attempts with a touchdown in Thiel’s 28-3 victory over Johns Hopkins University in the opening round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

“We are very excited to open the 2006 season with a healthy Steve Minton and a quality back like Dan Hess – they compliment each other very well, and I believe will enable us to always have a fresh set of legs on the field. Steve is as tough an individual I have ever been around, and Dan is one of the strongest and hardest workers on our team. In addition, fifth-year senior Jeremiah Conley is ready and waiting to make his contribution,” said Leipheimer.

Senior Greg Gustovich will enter the season at fullback after appearing in all 12 games for the Tomcats a year ago. Sophomore Craig Walker is expected to split time at the fullback position.

Senior quarterback Billy Blankenship looks to have won the starting spot with a good showing in spring workouts. In seven career games, Blankenship has completed 15-of-38 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Also looking to compete for the starting quarterback spot this season are sophomores Andrew Kimmy and Chris Ault.

“Our quarterback must be able to make good decisions and take great care of the football. Billy has demonstrated he can do that, and with his athleticism and ability to run with the football, he provides us with another dimension. He has a tremendous understanding of our offense and has prepared very well for this opportunity. More importantly, Billy has earned the respect and confidence of the entire team with his preparations,” said Leipheimer.

The offensive line returns three veterans in senior guards Ricky Gable and Rock Davis, along with junior center Jimmy Fawcett. The Tomcats have a pair of three-year starters in Gable and Davis while Fawcett comes back for his second season as a starter.

With Hendricks and Nelton Neal absent from their usual tackle spots, the Tomcats will look to fill one of the voids with senior Percy Sweeting. Sweeting had a terrific spring and has solidified his spot along the line while the other spot is up for grabs.

“There is no disputing the fact that in order to have a productive offense you must have a dominating offensive line. They are the backbone of any football team. We are excited to have three solid veterans returning and believe they will provide the leadership necessary for us to be successful,” said Leipheimer.

Senior Jon Kutterna returns as the starting tight end after catching 14 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown last season. Kutterna also handles the long-snapping duties for the Tomcats.

With Chambers gone and Tom McEntire now a member of Leipheimer’s staff, the Tomcats are without a tandem of wide receivers that combined for 144 catches, 2,056 yards and 19 touchdowns. Junior Marc LaScola contributed 26 receptions for 465 yards and four touchdowns last season while junior Brett Helman, who will be in his first full season as a wide receiver, caught six passes for 86 yards and rushed for 94 yards between positions last season. Junior John Adams will push for an expanded role in the Tomcat offense while sophomore Tim Van Horn is also on the radar at wide receiver.

“There is no doubt we lost two quality receivers last year in Chambers and McEntire. However, Marc and Brett saw plenty of action and did an outstanding job as well. They both understand the offense and can not only catch the ball, but are solid blockers. We feel John Adams and Tim Van Horn will also make solid contributions as they both possess a solid understanding of the offense, and Van Horn may have the best hands on the team,” said Leipheimer.

Defense
The defense, despite looking thin on paper with the loss of Howson, Strouse, outside linebackers Tom Wozniak and Aaron Zane and safety Shaun Jackson, returns an ample amount of starters along with a number of players looking to make a name for themselves after impressing last season.

Senior middle linebacker Jeff Wagner returns as the defensive play-caller after leading the team in tackles (75.0) last year. Junior Mike Stimac, who appeared in all 12 games and made a number of starts in place of Wozniak, and senior Chris Hlinka will head into camp entrenched as the starting outside linebackers. Stimac and Hlinka will be pushed throughout the preseason by senior Kenneth Avery, a safety-turned-linebacker, and sophomore Sam Swartzfager. Also looking to contribute to the linebacker corps will be sophomore middle linebacker Scott Thompson.

“We feel our linebacker corps is the strength of our defense. They all have solid playing experience, understand our defense, are athletic, and run very well. We are very fortunate to have a guy like Jeff in the middle – he is an outstanding leader and has great instincts,” said Leipheimer.

Thiel returns a number of producers from last season’s defensive line, including junior defensive ends Chris Lorber and Robert Hughes. Lorber was third on the team in sacks in 2005 (6.0) while totaling 36.5 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Hughes registered 10.5 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Junior end Randall Palakovich, who appeared in all 12 games in 2005 and finished with 5.0 tackles, along with junior end Aaron Gorka, should provide the Tomcats with plenty of depth.

Also back for the Tomcats in the middle of the defensive line are seniors Logan Malie and Kellen Manning along with junior Denver Goodman. Malie started all 12 games in 2005 and posted 32.5 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Manning finished with 12.0 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss while Goodman closed the season with 7.0 tackles and 2.0 sacks.

The defensive backfield was perhaps the hardest hit this off-season, with the loss of strong safety Shaun Jackson and cornerback Zjaque Douglas.

The coaching staff is excited about what they saw in spring workouts from senior cornerback Steve Boyle, junior cornerback Antonio Quarterman and junior free safety Mike Lebetz. Boyle enters his third year as a starter and finished with 37.0 tackles and five interceptions in 2005. Quarterman appeared in all 12 games last season and recorded 9.0 tackles, 1.0 sack and a forced fumble, while Lebetz returns after a year away from the program. Sophomore cornerback Matt Joy will also push for time in the Tomcat defensive backfield.

“Our secondary showed steady improvement throughout the spring and we believe they will continue to improve as the season progresses,” said Leipheimer.

Special Teams
Junior Sammy Koyl returns as the Tomcats place kicker despite converting just 3-of-11 attempts last season. Koyl will also man the punting duties after averaging 34.8 yards-per-kick in 2005.


Thomas More Saints (5-5 Overall, 4-2 PAC)
Coming off a 2005 campaign in which they finished third in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference, the Thomas More Saints football team has elevated expectations for the 2006 team.

In order to be where they expect to be at the end of the season, they must get back to old school Thomas More football.

“We are going to get back to more traditional Thomas More football and run the ball effectively,” said third-year head coach Mike Hallett. “In our best years, we were 60 percent run and 40 percent pass. With a young offensive line, they were more adept to pass blocking than run blocking.”

An effective running game will be vital as Thomas More will be breaking in a new quarterback.

“For a young quarterback, the best thing to have is a good running game,” Hallett said.

Defensively, TMC returns two All-Americans in linebacker Mark Carlisle and cornerback Chris Willis that will anchor the back seven.

Offense

The Saints must replace five members of the starting offense, including two quarterbacks and the leading rusher from the past three seasons. With so much experience graduated, especially at the skill positions, the experienced offensive line will be relied on to take a leadership role on the offense.

“We must be better on third down and in the red zone,” said Hallett. “Those are lynchpins for us to make dramatic improvements.”

With only one returning player at quarterback, sophomore Trevor Stellman will enter fall camp as the favorite to assume the signal calling duties. Last season, he appeared in five games, throwing for 135 yards on 11-of-28 passing and one touchdown. He added 66 yards rushing on 43 attempts.

“If the quarterback plays to potential and when the offense runs smoothly, we can be real potent,” said Hallett. “The No. 1 thing for the quarterback is great decision making. We don’t need a gunslinger.”

Hallett added the spring practice was especially beneficial for his young quarterback.

For the first time in three seasons, Tyran Thompson isn’t expected to carrying the load from the running back position. Thompson wrapped up his TMC career with more than 2,500 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns.

“Losing Tyran Thompson will be tough,” said Hallett. “He set a great example. But, there are other players ready to step into roles.”

The reigns are expected to be handed over to a group of backs with varying talents and experience levels. Converted quarterback, junior Kyle James brings a wealth of versatility to the backfield, or the receiver position. With his flexibility, Thomas More has a plethora of options with James on the field. In his first two seasons in a Saints uniform, James has made his presence felt in the return game. He is averaging 19.3 yards per kick return with one touchdown. James ran for 115 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown during his sophomore season. He added six receptions for 64 yards.

Sophomore Lawrence Colbert is the top returning back after rushing for 153 yards on 31 carries in seven games. Described as a more traditional I-back, Colbert showed a burst of speed and elusiveness in his limited action to have coaches raving about his potential. Junior Robert Christopher and Andrew Gruesing will add extra depth for Thomas More.

“The cupboard is not bare,” Hallett said. “We will get the best players on the field. We need to get everybody involved. All the backs bring things to the table. They are all equally capable of being a starter. It depends on the flow. I am not afraid to start all three and utilize all their talents.”

Senior John Hennessey returns as the starting H-Back after having a break out season last season.

“We expect him to have his best season this year,” Hallett said. “He is motivated to reach his potential.”

There are other suitors to step into the role as well. With the physical nature of the position, Hallett expects to use multiple players. Senior Andrew McIntosh and sophomore Antoine Thorntonare expected to provide additional stability at the position.

“It is a very demanding position,” Hallett said. “We will have multiple H-Backs in the game plan. We will certainly highlight what they do best, but they will do it all.”

More than 50 percent of the team’s receptions were lost through graduation and must be replaced. The leading candidates to pick up some of the slack are junior John Resch and senior Chase Weber. Resch, who had a break out season, will be the top returning receiver this season with 24 receptions for 354 yards, while Weber averaged a team-high 19.9 yards per reception. Weber, who was hampered by injuries last season, brings big-play potential to the offense and a vertical threat to the Saints pass attack.

           
Senior Austin Vogt, who transferred in last season, made huge contributions early and could pose serious match-up problems for opposing defenses. He hauled in five passes for 66 yards last season. Junior Dennis Gullick and sophomore Nick Dew could parlay solid springs into greater presence in the offense.

For the past several seasons, the tight end position has been primarily used as an extra offensive lineman. The position hauled in a combined six balls for 83 yards in 2005. There are three candidates – sophomore Nick Heinl, sophomore Andrew Walker and junior Andrew Carpenter – vying to increase the profile of the position. Walker is a converted defensive end, while Carpenter will be playing his third position in three seasons.

           
“The better tight end play we get, the more tight ends will play,” said Hallett.

"One mind, one heartbeat" could easily be the motto for an offensive line group that could be the most vital part of Thomas More’s offensive resurgence. They return five players that have earned significant playing time, including the return of sophomore right tackle Clayton Garrigus. Garrigus, who is the strongest member of the offensive line, missed the entire 2005 season with an injury. He will be one of the verbal leaders of the unit.

           
Preseason All-American junior Brandon Lee anchors the line after starting the last 18 games of his career, including all 10 at center last season.

           
“He had an outstanding spring and is one of the all-time strongest linemen,” said Hallett. “He has the tools to be a fantastic player; good feet, quick hands and an understanding of the position.”

           
After moving from the defensive line midway through the season, junior Steve Evans played in the last five games. Hallett said he is a “work in progress”. Junior Josh Feilen was also inserted into the starting lineup midway through the season and is expected to assume the starting left guard position. Rounding out the projected starting five will be junior Keith Cureton.

           
Although, the three-year player contingent looks to looks to lead the offense, several players could force themselves into the offensive line rotation. Sophomores Eric Coffman and Keith Lageman are amongst the leading candidates.

Defense

For the majority of the season, the Thomas More defense was ranked amongst the nation’s best in scoring defense. The Saints would finish 31^st in the country, allowing 16.9 points per game.  With eight starters returning, there is an expectation for improvement and greatness. Three of the returnees were among the country’s top 100 in tackles.

Two starters return to the defensive line unit and one another 10-game starter returns after missing last season due to an injury. All three, however, are defensive tackles, leaving an inexperienced group of candidates on the outside.

           
“They form a pretty good nucleus,” Hallett said of the trio. “We are more than solidified up the middle.”

           
Sophomore Greg Frey sat out last season and will look to recapture the form from two seasons ago when he recorded 49 tackles, 18 of which were for a loss. Senior Justin Fussinger adds a run stopping dimension up front, while sophomore Bo Allen brings an unmatched intensity.

           
“Bo is coming off a solid freshman season,” Hallett said of his young tackle, who finished last season with 22 tackles. “Bo can be special. He plays the run well and has great burst off the line.”

           
Kevin O’Keefe made the transition from fullback to defensive line last season and showed glimpses of his potential. Sophomores Matt Short, Nick Kaliin, Tyler Grant, Ryan Lindeman and Kyle Duncan will all have a chance to claim a slot in the defensive end rotation.

There is a wealth of talent returning to the linebacker position led by preseason All-American Carlisle (right) and junior outside linebacker Rashawn West, who earned second-team All-PAC laurels. The duo was 1-2 on the team in tackles and both were in the Top 5 in the PAC. Carlisle led the conference with 147 tackles, which was good for fourth in the country, while West finished the season fifth in the PAC with 99 tackles.

“Carlisle had an outstanding junior year, and we are excited to see his senior season,” Hallett said. “Rashawn is the fastest player we’ve ever coached. He doesn’t have the physical strength of Mark but plays big with his speed off the edge.

“The defense is built to highlight guys like Rashawn,” Hallett added.

Sophomore Brad Steinmetz earned significant playing time last season and will be expected to be the starting strongside linebacker. He finished his first collegiate season with 53 tackles. The off-season was beneficial for Steinmetz as he added 35 pounds of muscle to his 5-10 frame.

“He is no liability in coverage,” Hallett said. “It allows the defense to set front to put different stress points on the offense.”

Senior Steve Mace has been slated to be a starter in each of the past two seasons only to have injuries short circuit his season. He will return for his final campaign and will add depth to an already solid core. Sophomores Jerry Scarlato and Kasey McClanahan will also see time on the field.

“Any one of these guys can be starters,” Hallett said. “We have a variety of guys game-ready so we are not asking guys to stay out there. It allows the ability to keep guys fresh.”

Preseason All-American Willis highlights a secondary in which three of the four starters are returning. A first-team All-PAC selection last season and third-team All-American; Willis returns for his final season in Crestview Hills. He was third in the country in passes defended and 20^th in interceptions. For the season, Willis had 39 tackles.

“He is a big, physical corner and has a real knack of being around the football,” Hallett said. “He is a human turnover machine. There wasn’t a lot of pass attempts thrown his way.”

Playing opposite Willis will be second-team All-PAC player, junior Terence Toone. A high school receiver, Toone has started 20 consecutive games at cornerback. He really started to come into his own during the second part of the last season. An honorable mention All-conference selection, Nick Hazlett also returns to the defense secondary. He was third on the team with 95 tackles last season.

“Hazlett has very good ability to get to the football,” Hallett said. “He will be a factor in the run game.”

There are a plethora of options to fill the final available starting position, including seniors Kevin Nare and Marcus Dixon. Both have earned two varsity letters by playing key roles on the Saints’ special teams, and on defense. Joining the competition are junior Les Colegrove, sophomore Aaron Brown, sophomore Nate Kapsal and sophomore Eric Northrup.

Special Teams

Somewhat overlooked, the Thomas More Strike Forces unit will continue to make a difference in games. The kicking game will have a new look from last season with the loss of the kicker and punter.

Sophomore Brady Bryant will have the first crack at the school’s starting place kicker position, and could possibly earn the punter duties as well. Sophomore Kyle Willson will also be in the mix, along with several other candidates, for the punter position.

The long snapping duties will be once again be held by senior Carlisle, while the punt return duties are in good hands with Willis (9.1 yards per return) and Weber (9.8 yards per return).

James, the school record holder for longest kick return and most return yards in a game, will once again help handle the return responsibilities. He had 17 returns for 339 yards, an average of 19.9 yards. Joining James in the back will be West, who averaged 24.5 yards per return.

The special teams units are also ways for players to get earn playing time.

“Kids are happy when they play and are happier when they play were they want to be,” Hallett said.

Washington & Jefferson Presidents (9-2 Overall, 5-1 PAC)
When Washington & Jefferson College opens its 115th training camp on August 12th, Chris Edwards will not be zinging passes to Aaron Krepps. R.J. Zitzelsberger won't be reaching for the end zone and Mike Sklarsky will not be dishing out devastating hits.

Most of the names which have helped Head Coach Mike Sirianni win 30 games over the past three seasons have graduated. Although many of the skill players have moved on, Sirianni does return 16 starters and his expectations are not changing.

"We are looking at it as just another football season," said Sirianni, who has won more games in his first three seasons than any coach in W&J history. "You can't replace our 10 seniors from last year, but our goals will remain the same and those are to win the Presidents' Athletic Conference and to compete for a national title."

The first major void to fill is at quarterback. Edwards set 16 school records and was named the 2005 PAC Player of the Year. Sophomores Ryan Church and Bobby Swallow served as Edwards' backup in 2005 and are the leading candidates to take over the starting role. Sophomore Zach Zebrasky and a stable of freshman arms will also receive a look in August.

"We legitimately have seven different players who I think will get a chance to compete for the job in camp," added Sirianni. "Church and Swallow saw varsity action last year and have had spring practice to get accustomed to our offense. I really like our quarterback depth right now."

If replacing Edwards wasn't hard enough, the receiving corps will be without consensus All-American Aaron Krepps, who spent time in the Canadian Football League's British Columbia Lions training camp this past summer.

Senior Peter Briggs (7 rec., 71 yds., 1 TD) and junior Tom McCafferty (22 rec., 470 yds., 4 TD) will be the top targets, while senior Greg Flick and sophomores Luke Espe, Michael Kehr and David Ravida will see their first significant varsity action. Transfers Bubba Heisler and Zach Bonatesta are also talented athletes who will look to impress early on.

"We are definitely going to be more balanced," noted Sirianni. "We just need to find where the receptions are going to come from and the right mix to help our young quarterbacks adjust."

The backfield loses the versatility of Zitzelsberger, but does return the quickness of senior Ryan Mendel (left), who rushed for 823 yards and eight touchdowns, while averaging 5.3 yards per carry last season. Mendel, who is 178 yards shy of 2,000 for his career, will take the leadership role in helping along junior fullback Nick Stankovitch and sophomore running backs Kevin Mathews, Josh Linton and Curt Jones.

"Mendel is our most experienced skill player and we need him to play a larger role in our offense," said Sirianni. "He has bulked up in the offseason and we expect him to carry the ball more than in the past. Mathews is also able to move back to his natural position."

One area that Sirianni is confident about is the offensive line. The Presidents return all five starters, including D3football.com All-America senior guard Chris Hickey. Senior Chris Teter and junior Adam Hoffer will once again start at the tackle positions, while junior Eric Sibenac and Hickey are the guards. Junior Adam Shallcross is back at the center position. Sophomores Matt Houy and Dave Bucar saw plenty of varsity action last season and will play an increased role in 2006. Juniors Steve Mort, Jason Pierce and Brian Skokowski will add depth.

"Obviously, it is encouraging that we have everyone coming back, but we still have to improve up front," said Sirianni. "If we can fix the mistakes we made last year, the offensive line has a chance to be one of the best in the nation."

Sirianni also expects senior placekicker Kyle Sidebotham to turn into one of the team's top weapons. The three-year starter can become the school's all-time leader in field goals with five this season and is also 38 points shy of becoming the career leader in kicker scoring. Sidebotham has drilled 23 career field goals and has accumulated 220 points.

"Kyle is going to be a huge weapon for us this season, not only with his accuracy on field goals, but his strong leg on kickoffs," added Sirianni.

The defensive line mirrors the offensive line with its young talent and depth. Defensive Coordinator John Klein has the option of 10-12 players who have shown the ability to perform at a high level. Seniors Dan Brodland and Matt Sutphen will spearhead the unit. Brodland racked up 32 tackles (7.5 for a loss) and 3.5 sacks last year, while Sutphen is a two-year starter with seven career sacks. Juniors Russ Chase, Julian Muganda and Jeff Ernst and sophomores Matt Mazgaj, Dirk Soland, Mitch Tenney and Brandon Bovina all saw significant playing time last season and will be counted on to solidify front four.

"We return a ton of experience on our defensive line and these guys may be our biggest strength," noted Sirianni. "At least 10 different players saw a lot of action and all of them performed very well."

The linebacking unit loses its leader in Mike Sklarsky, but seniors Aaron Bane and Eric Taslov return after starting their first seasons in 2005. Bane had 64 tackles and three sacks, while Taslov made 72 stops. Senior Joe Garia and sophomores Dave Gitlitz, John Fahey and Eddie Contestabile will battle for the open spot.

"Mike was a great player for us, but Aaron and Eric improved each game," quipped Sirianni. "Now, they are the veterans and will have to help bring along our younger, inexperienced players."

The secondary returns three of four starters, including All-America candidate Nick Cherish, who is penciled in as a starter for the fourth consecutive year. Cherish began his career at W&J as a linebacker, but moved into his natural position at free safety in 2004. He has garnered 155 career tackles and nine interceptions.

"Without a doubt, Nick is our No. 1 leader," said the fourth-year head coach.

Cherish will be joined by senior strong safety Gabe McKee for the second-straight season. McKee led the Presidents with 77 tackles, tied for the team lead with four interceptions and was second on the squad with nine pass breakups.

Senior Cory Walsh will man one of the cornerback positions for the third consecutive year. Last year, Walsh was second on the team with 75 tackles and also picked off two passes.

Junior Ryan Mullen served as the nickel back a year ago and will look to take over after the graduation of Mike Wilmus. Junior James Weatherspoon is another intriguing player who Sirianni would like to see improve into an every-down player.

"Mullen played well for us in a reserve role and I feel he is ready to start this season," said Sirianni. "Weatherspoon is one of our best athletes and we need to find a spot for him on the field every Saturday."

Zebrasky took over as the starting punter midway through the year and helped calm a struggling facet of the Presidents' game. He will most likely be the frontrunner once preseason camp begins.

"Zebrasky gave us a lift in a position we have struggled with over the years," added Sirianni. "He was thrown into the fire by default and ended up doing a great job for us."

As each season passes, the Presidents' Athletic Conference continues to develop into one of the nation's strongest leagues. In 2005, the conference had two teams (Thiel and W&J) selected to the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time in history.

"Thiel is the clear-cut favorite this season because of the number of starters they have coming back," said Sirianni. "Their staff has done a great job. Thomas More might have the best defense in the conference and Waynesburg has a ton of talent. Grove City recruited one of the WPIAL's top quarterbacks and Westminster has a great coach. Each week is going to be a battle in this league."

Although the marquee names may not be on the depth chart, Sirianni believes the program's tradition does not allow for a rebuilding process even after graduating yet another successful group.

"Our players are always confident because we expect to win," added Sirianni. "Our former coaches and players built a tradition of winning that is passed on year after year. We have also developed a quality junior varsity program which gives our young players a taste of what it takes to succeed on the collegiate level."

Sirianni is also against the idea of expecting his young skill players to step in immediately and take the place of Krepps, Edwards, Zitzelsberger and Wilmus.

"We need to realize that it is okay to grind out wins until these guys develop and get adjusted to varsity action," he concluded. "Until these players learn to gel on offense, we are going to rely on our defense to win us games against some very good non-conference opponents."


Waynesburg Yellow Jackets (4-6 Overall, 2-4 PAC)
The Waynesburg College Yellow Jackets will feature a new look on the field in 2006, as Wiley Stadium received a facelift with the installation of FieldTurf this summer and the College adopted a new logo and color scheme. Those changes are just part of the renovations that the program has undergone in the last two seasons.
 

Head coach Rick Shepas returns after a 4-6 campaign in his first season with the program in 2005.

“We have our program in place this season and our expectations are set,” said Shepas. “Our number one goal this year is on the PAC (Presidents’ Athletic Conference) Championship.”

For the 2006 season to be a success, the Yellow Jackets will once again look to the explosive tandem of Ryan Abels and Eric Daniels in the backfield. As juniors last season, Abels and Daniels combined for 1,825 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns to help Waynesburg lead the PAC and rank 16th in the nation with 199.9 rushing yards/game.

“They give us two threats in the running game,” said Shepas. “We have two players that score from anywhere on the field whether they’re running the football or catching a pass in the flat.”

Last season, Abels (right) set the single-season school record with 1,299 rushing yards and enters this season just 165 yards of eclipsing the school’s career rushing record of 3,297 set by Mike Stout.

In 2005, Daniels rushed for 526 yards and eight touchdowns on 96 carries. Despite splitting carries with Abels over the last three seasons, Daniels has totaled 26 career rushing touchdowns and ranks ninth in school history with 1,845 career rushing yards.

Senior quarterback Tres Cobb will again handle the play-calling duties this year. In his first season as a starter, he finished third in the conference with 1,500 passing yards and completed 136 of 271 attempts with five touchdowns.

“Tres is a leader and he learned how to become more of a complete player throughout the course of last year,” said Shepas. “He is not afraid to take a chance and try to make a play.”

After struggling early on last season, Cobb showed tremendous strides with the offense, as in the final three games of the season he averaged for over 220 passing yards/game.

Cobb will look to senior receiver Mike Shields in the passing game after Shields led the team with an average of 15.9 yards/catch last season on 21 grabs.

“I have a lot of respect for Mike as a receiver in the way he practices, the way he runs his routes,” said Shepas, a former wide receiver at Youngstown State. “People don’t give him enough credit for his speed.”

Senior Anthony Taylor will join Shields in the receiving corps after playing defensive back the past three seasons. Taylor showed a knack for making plays in the air, as he hauled in five interceptions in his first two years with the program.

The offensive line featured several new starters last season and again looks to be a youthful unit.

“There will be a lot of competition on the offensive line,” said Shepas. “We are going to have a young offensive line again, but we will make no excuses.”

The interior of the line looks to be a strength this season, as Waynesburg returns three pivotal players at the guard and center positions. Junior Alex Tempalski started all 10 games last season, including nine at right guard. He brings the most experience to the unit after seeing action in 15 career games, including 11 starts at various spots along the line.

Junior Mark Smith saw action in nine games last season with five starts at left guard, while junior center Dan Vitale started eight games at center before an injury halted his season.

With youthful talent in the secondary and at the linebacker position, the Yellow Jackets defensive line will be pivotal to the success of the team in 2006.

Waynesburg returns all three starters on its 3-4 front, highlighted by junior defensive end Mike Czerwien, a two-time all-conference selection. Last season, he led the PAC in sacks and ranked second with 17 tackles for loss. Czerwien is the team’s top returning tackler after posting a career-high 63 stops (34 solo, 29 assist) last season.

“On and off the field, Mike does a great job with our program,” said Shepas. “The work ethic that he brings to every part of the game is a tremendous asset to the team.”

Joining Czerwien on the line are defensive tackle LaDrekus Burford and defensive end D.J. DeWitt, both returning starters from last year. Burford and DeWitt posted 46 and 19 tackles, respectively, as freshmen last season.

Junior Dan Andreassi looks to anchor the linebacking unit after posting 37 tackles, two sacks and three interceptions in his first season as a starter. Junior Brendon Steele and sophomore Aaron Wood look to be the leading candidates at the other linebacker positions at the start of camp. Steele made 31 tackles last season and Wood showed play-making abilities by recording a pair of interceptions in limited action as a freshman.

With the graduation of three starters and the move of Taylor to offense, the Yellow Jackets will debut an entirely new secondary in 2006. Senior Will Nicholls brings most experience to the unit with 16 career games, while sophomore Ryan Krull looks to be a leading candidate at a safety position with his hard-hitting ability.

The special teams unit again features kicker Ben Popson, who ranks second in school history with 211 career points and holds a share of the school record for career field goals at 28. The punting duties look to be determined during camp. With their speed and play-making abilities, Daniels, Shields and Taylor look to be the leading candidates to handle the return duties heading into camp.

Westminster Titans (4-6 Overall, 2-4 PAC)
The Westminster College football team enters its second season under head coach Jeff Hand with a solid structure but with a lot of room for growth and improvement. Encouraged by no glaring weaknesses, Hand is pleased with the progression of his program that is coming off a 4-6 record during his first year in 2005.

“There’s not one specific area,” Hand says. “All areas made improvements. The biggest strength is that we are returning with more experience, especially on the offensive side of the ball.”

Seven of the team’s 11 returning starters are offensive players. However, there is a broad-stroked void left on the 2006 team by last year’s 14-player, departed senior class that included 11 starters. That leaves a younger team ready to make an impression, according to Hand. 

“The team hasn’t defined itself yet because of the loss of the senior class, but there is potential there,” Hand said. “This year the team is going to be defined during training camp and through its work ethic.”

Should the Titans improve on their 2-4 record and fourth-place finish in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC), they will do it with not only a small senior class of just nine players but with a sound group of underclassmen that will dictate the future and the identity of the Titan football program.

Offense
Among the seven returning offensive starters, the unit’s strength seems to be in passing game with experienced personnel returning under center and on the perimeter.

Senior quarterback J.R. Barley is back after his first full year as a starter. In 2005, he threw for 784 yards and three touchdowns on 97-for-170 passing. Junior backup quarterback Brett Myers is waiting in the midst and is a capable starter having started one game last year against Waynesburg and engineered a fourth-quarter comeback win against Grove City when Barley was injured. Myers threw for 464 yards last year and eclipsed Barley with four touchdown passes on the season, after throwing two in his only start along with a team single game-high of 198 passing yards.

The receiving corps is just as sound with experience as last year’s leading pass-catcher Brett Zeigler is back as a junior. Zeigler snared a team-high 35 passes for 393 yards (11.2 avg.) and six touchdowns. He will be joined by fellow returning starter Jake Buzard (left), a senior who caught 30 balls for 252 yards last year. Junior Jason Discello (23 receptions for 121 yards in 2005) and sophomore Jordan Belosh (13 for 164) have considerable game experience and will compete for starts.

At tight end, sophomore Jack Seifert will compete with senior returning letterman Scott Davenport.

The biggest void left by last year’s senior class is in the backfield as running back Sean Buggey – 212 carries for 878 yards and five touchdowns – graduated after earning second-team all-PAC honors. The most experienced ballcarrier for the Titans will be sophomore Matt Hewston, who appeared in just two games last year, carrying the ball seven times. The one returning starter in the backfield is junior Josh Kutzner who caught eight passes in 2005 for 56 yards but did not have a rushing attempt. He will compete for the starting job with senior Matt Knight who switched from linebacker to fullback midway through the 2005 season.

The Titan offensive line returns three of five starters including junior left tackle Shane Parker, junior left guard Bryan Borkovich and right guard Justin Decker, who will move to tackle for 2006. Borkovich is the most acclaimed offensive player as the only returning player named to the all-PAC team with his second-team nod. Junior Brett Bundy, senior Tom Campana, sophomore Joe Gizoni, and junior Randy Sylvester are all the top candidates for the vacant starting spots up front.

Defense 
The Titans return just three starters on defense but a considerable amount of returning lettermen will compete for starting positions.

Topping the list of returning starters is senior linebacker Jason Fridley, who finished with 85 tackles in 2005, second only to the now graduated Jerry Bonenberger. Sophomore Jordan Blinn is the next most productive linebacker that returns. He made 10 tackles and two pass breakups as a reserve last year. Sophomore Scott Brucker also returns with game experience earned as a freshman.

Up front, senior Chris Dulovich is the lone returning starter. The defensive tackle posted 19 stops in 2005. Next to him will likely be sophomore Dan Berardelli, who made 12 stops last year as a reserve nose tackle.

Two more sophomores are also strong contenders to start. Neil Falco will vie for a starting job on the defensive line, as he looks to replace first-team all-PAC tackle Ryan Chmura (83 tackles) after he made 13 tackles as his backup. Andrew Robison, who had 19 stops last year as a reserve, will likely fill the void at rush end left by Adam Hadbavny.

Joey Tissler leads the Titan secondary as its returning starter. Tissler, who had 59 tackles and three pass breakups last year, will play free safety. Strong safety will feature sophomore Josh Weese, a converted running back and linebacker, or senior Kyle Trimble, a former punter who posted three stops last year as a reserve defensive back.

The top candidates at the corners are junior Mike Cacchione, sophomore Jake Wilczynski, junior Eric Brown, and sophomore Tyler Stiffey.

Specialists
Junior Dusty Rhodes is back as the Titan punter after averaging 35.1 yards per punt last year, ranking him fourth in the conference. He will take over the placekicking duties as well with Chris Castillo graduating after converting more field goals (10 of 15) than any other kicker in the league.

With Buggey, a second-team all-PAC returner graduated, the Titan coaching staff will determine a punt and kick returner during training camp with Buzard as the top candidate.

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