2008 PAC Football Preview

    Bethany Bison (4-6 Overall, 2-4 PAC in 2007)

Although 17 starters are returning for the Bethany College football team for the 2008 season, there is still quite a bit of change affiliated with the Bison program, which is entering its third year under the direction of head coach Tim Weaver.

One of the changes affects Weaver, who led Bethany to their second consecutive 4-6 season (2-4 in the PAC) last year. In addition to being the head football coach, he is now the director of athletics and recreation and one of his main duties has been to oversee the revitalization of Bison Stadium. Bethany’s home field underwent extensive work over the summer, which included the installation of a new FieldTurf playing surface and lights.

The first game at the Bison’s refurbished home is Sept. 13 against Kentucky Christian University, a first-year NAIA program, and the updated facility brings quite a few perks to the entire program.

“Any kind of progress is exciting and a project like this is the best kind,” said Weaver, whose teams have broken or tied 20 school records in his two-year tenure. “Our day-to-day operations will be helped tremendously. We won’t have to worry about the condition of the practice field, we can stay out under the lights for practice late in the season when daylight ends quicker and we can practice on the same surface we’ll play most of our games on as well.

“And obviously it’s going to help in recruiting,” said Weaver. “It’s a better looking facility, but it also shows institutional commitment to the program and isn’t just lip service.”

When Weaver took the reins to the program in December of 2006, he had a clear vision of where he wanted to take the program and how long it would take to get there. Coming into year three, Weaver says everything is going to plan to this point.

“We are right on schedule as to where we wanted to be and have hit all our progress landmarks,” said Weaver. “We’ve grown from about 80 players in the program to nearly 110 this fall, saw a significant increase in wins the first year, then saw major statistical improvements during the second year. The gap between us and the top teams in the league was so considerable when we arrived, we couldn’t be too discouraged when we lost. Now we feel we’ve closed that gap and the next step is to beat those teams.”

The one major change for the Bison offense will come at quarterback. Milton Joyner paced the BC offense to a school-record 4,105 total yards last year, as he threw for more than 2,000 yards and 21 TDs, while rushing for five more scores. The lone returner at the position from last year is sophomore Dan Pegg, who completed 5-of-6 aerials for 47 yards in the ’07 season finale. While the Bison coaches like Pegg, he will have to fend off some skilled freshmen for the starting job.

“We are excited about Pegg,” said Weaver. “He battled injuries early on last season, but came on at the end of the year and followed that up with a very good spring. If we had a game today, he would start, but he’ll have to earn that spot over some very talented freshmen. We’re also pretty happy about our recruits at that position.”

The new quarterback will be hoping to see the running game show continued improvement. After gaining just 71 yards per game on the ground in Weaver’s first season, BC’s ground production jumped to better than 185 yards a game last year. Sophomore RB Marcus Santini was a big reason for the improvement, as he churned out 473 yards on just 78 carries (6.1 average) and scored five touchdowns despite missing three games because of injuries. The questions to be settled in camp include who will be the primary back-up behind Santini at tailback and who will rise up to grab the fullback position.

“We have a good, experienced player in the backfield in Santini,” said Weaver. “It’s great to have a player at that position that is physically and mentally tough. Depth will be a concern though. We have some guys coming back that we like, but need to improve to show they can be the second guy. We feel good about the fullback spot because we have two or three guys who can play at a high level. It was nice to add that to our offense last year and go with two-back sets to run the ball.”

In addition to a solid ground game, the Bison offense also features a talented receiving corps, possibly the deepest in the PAC. Junior Matt Cruse returns after catching 52 passes for 763 yards and a school-record tying nine TDs last year, which earned him Second Team All-PAC. Senior Taylor McNeil (left) matched Cruse in receptions for 711 yards and five scores, while also amassing more than 1,450 all-purpose yards.

Add in junior Matt Dahle, who had 11 catches for 153 yards, and sophomore Randy Rankin, who pulled in 15 passes for 147 yards, sophomore Clint Wilson, as well as junior TE Jorge Laboy, and there will be no shortage of targets for whoever gets the call under center for Bethany.

“Wide receiver is definitely a position of strength,” said Weaver. “We feel we may have the two best in the conference in Cruse and McNeil. Our next three options in Dahle, Rankin and Wilson are talented, tough kids who we like. And we are looking forward to seeing Laboy’s development. He had a great spring, has added 20 pounds since he came here and has all kinds of athletic ability.

“We have high expectations that if they can stay healthy and keep working hard, they will put up big numbers,” said Weaver.

Another key to the offense’s production last year was the play up front. The Bison return four out of five starters on the offensive line, including First Team All-PAC guard Brian Liptock and Honorable Mention tackle Chad Sedlacek. Junior Chris Bailey, a two-year starter at center, and sophomore tackle Bob Rovnanik, who started six contests, are also back. What solidifies this position for BC is the depth they have acquired following two strong recruiting years.

“The offensive line is another position of strength for us and we have high expectations for this group,” said Weaver. “Two All-PAC players are back and two other starters return from a unit which improved a tremendous amount from the year before. And because of our strong incoming classes, we’ve gone from eight linemen to 22, which creates competition, depth and the ability to get more guys into games and practice.”

The defensive side of the ball is where Bethany must see improvement. Although the Green and White held three teams to 14 or fewer points last year, the most since 2002, they still ranked eighth in the league in scoring (31.4) and total defense (390.6). The key to bettering those numbers starts up front, where Weaver is looking to senior Chris Boland, who had a team-high three sacks, and sophomore Brad Ragghianti, who made 31 stops as a freshman, to pace the way.

“We have to play better up front and we’re looking to guys like Boland and Ragghianti for leadership,” said Weaver. “We have big, talented guys who need to be more productive and consistent. Their production dropped from one year to the next and we need them to step up to that previous level.”

The big area of change on the defense is at linebacker, where Bethany graduated all three starters from a year ago. While there may be a shortage of experience, there won’t be a shortage of competition to fill those spots. The competition is so open, Weaver didn’t even single out a favorite for any of the positions.

“We are really, really excited about the infusion of youth at linebacker,” said Weaver. “We are looking to be more athletic and more productive. We have a lot of good guys who will make it very competitive in camp.”

The defensive backfield will be the strong point of the unit, with three starters back and a fourth who saw considerable time last year. Sophomore FS Nelson Mitzen, the team’s leading returning tackler (65), was Second Team All-PAC after also leading Bethany with two interceptions. On the corners, senior Brandon Zeman was Honorable Mention All-PAC with 35 tackles despite missing the final four games because of an injury, while junior Michael Salters is back for his third year as a starter.

“The secondary will be our leadership position with a good deal of experience and talent back there,” said Weaver. “Zeman, Mitzen and Salters all started last year and when we moved John George to strong safety midseason, we knew he was our best player. With another year and a full camp, he’ll make us even better.”

Bethany’s special teams will have plenty of returners who can break a big play at any time, including McNeil, who set a school record for kick returns (34) and yards (643). Sophomore Jermaine Washington will also get a chance to bring back kicks, while the punt returning duties will be handled by Dahle, who took a punt back for a score last year, and Cruse, with Washington also possibly pitching in there.

The Bison punter will definitely be a freshman, as Mike Elias graduated. The kicker could be sophomore Nick Comer, who hit a pair of extra points last year, but he’ll be pushed by three freshmen in camp.

“Our return teams have been very good for two years and we expect them to be good again,” said Weaver. “Dahle and Cruse will take the majority of punts and McNeil has been at the top of the PAC in kick returns each of the last two years. Washington has the athletic ability to make things happen on one or both return teams.

“Our punter will be a freshman and Comer can do the job at kicker,” said Weaver. “But we felt we brought in three freshmen kickers and we’ll let them compete for the job. The kicking game was a point of emphasis in recruiting and hopefully we have that situation solved.”

In order for the Bison to continue to hit the progress landmarks that Weaver has set, their main objective is to get better defensively, while giving their quarterback a chance to be successful on offense and making plays on special teams.

“If we want to continue to make strides as a program, we have to improve defensively,” said Weaver. “This is the year for us to make significant improvements, especially against the run. Offensively, whoever the quarterback is, we have to get him ready to play and put him in situations where he can succeed. And we have to look for advantages and make plays on special teams, whether it is returns or fakes to get any advantage we can.”


Geneva Golden Tornadoes (8-3 Overall in 2007)

The upcoming football season is causing quite a stir on the campus of Geneva College.   With one year of competition in the Presidents’ Athletic conference under their belt, the Golden Tornadoes are looking to continue their winning ways in 2008.  The addition of a synthetic surface in 2007 will be complimented by a brand new stadium and press box for the 2008 season.  It’s an exciting time to be a Geneva Football fan with the renewing of rivalries, state of the art facilities and a football team that knows how to win.
               
An 8-3 overall record in 2007 has left the players returning to the field feeling confident, and rightly so.  Geneva boasted a 7-1 record against PAC opponents last season, with their only loss coming against eventual PAC champion Washington and Jefferson.

Geneva has proven itself in its first year against PAC foes.  This year the Tornadoes will seek to solidify their spot in the PAC and compete for a NCCAA National Championship. “We had a solid first year in the PAC in 2007,” said head coach Geno DeMarco. “I think our guys have a feel for the level of competition that we will be facing each week and I believe will be better prepared for the rigors of the PAC.”

OFFENSE
This season’s offense will be in the young, but capable hands of David Girardi.  The torch has been passed from Bobby Bondi, who led the team in passing yards and finished second in total rushing yards for the 2007 season.  Girardi saw some significant playing time in his freshman campaign, due to a quarterback and an offense that was plagued by injuries.  Girardi appeared in 10 out of 11 games and completed 16 passes for a total of 153 yards.  Some people are worried to dump the offensive load onto a young quarterback, but Coach DeMarco is not one of them.  “David is one of the most coachable players I have ever dealt with.  He has an eagerness to learn and a confidence about him that is crucial for the quarterback position.  He is excited to lead this team and I am excited to have him taking the snaps.”

               
One of the reasons that Coach DeMarco is not worried has to be due to the fact that Girardi will be surrounded by veterans and returning starters.   Matt Dean led the Tornadoes in total rushing yards last year and will return for his junior season at tailback.  Geneva’s offense may have struggled at times during the 2007 season, but Dean was the one constant.  Joining Dean will be Gerard Muschette, who was third in rushing yards with an average of 37.1 yards per game. 

If there is any doubt of inexperience at the QB position, it is overshadowed by the wealth of experience provided in the receiving core.  A pair of senior receivers in Brian Dvorsak and Luke Duriancik could prove to be the difference for the Geneva offense.   When you add another senior in Scott Koenig into the mix, you come away with a total of 101 catches in 2007.  Coach DeMarco couldn’t be happier with the personnel returning on the offensive side of the ball.  “Losing a quarterback to graduation is always hard at this level.  I think we will make up for it with the players that will be around our young quarterback.  This has the potential to be one of the most talented and experienced offenses I have ever had the opportunity to coach.  Our offensive guys really believe that this is their year and that they can light up the scoreboard.”

               
Lighting up the scoreboard will be the goal, but that goal won’t be achieved without the contributions of the big boys up front. In addition to losing its starting quarterback to graduation, Geneva also will need to replace three offensive linemen. Anthony Banks, Skyler Freed and Ted Nelson will leave big shoes to fill for some of the younger linemen in the program. “We lost a lot of talent up front, but we are confident those shoes will be filled,” said DeMarco. “It doesn’t matter how much skilled talent you have if those guys don’t get time and space to make plays.”

DEFENSE
It is no secret that Geneva’s defense won a number of games in 2007.  This season could prove to be no different as the Tornadoes will return a number of upperclassmen and their top defensive playmakers.  Putting pressure on the quarterback was the challenge made to the defense in 2007.  Geneva went on to answer the call in dramatic fashion.  After posting only nine sacks in 2006, Geneva nearly tripled that effort in 2007 with 35 sacks.

               
Geneva’s defensive success in this area can be chalked up to performances by the returning starters for this year.  Zach Feltrop (right), Aaron Tommelleo, Dan Terracciano and Brian Wilson, four of the top six leading tacklers respectively from 2007, will return to improve on an already impressive resume.

               
“Our athleticism and awareness on the defensive side of the ball is very hard to match,” said Coach Demarco.  “It’s exciting to see the hard work our players have put in during the off-season.  The leaders of our team want to improve on what was already a great defense last year.  If we can do that, then there’s no telling what this team will accomplish in 2008.”

               
Geneva’s secondary provided many opportunities for the big plays to be made. Richard Kolesar will return as an experienced free safety while Derek McElhaney will also be featured in the secondary as returning stars.  The two players with the most secondary experience combined for four of the ten Geneva interceptions in 2007.  “We have some holes to fill in our secondary, but again we are confident that we have the personnel to fill those holes,” said DeMarco. “We are going to put a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and hopefully our secondary will capitalize on some mistakes.”

SPECIAL TEAMS
Over the years, special teams have provided the x-factor which has pushed Geneva into the win column on several occasions.  Whether it was the 2007 punter/place kicker duo of Andy Stopchick and Nick DiPietro or the conference leading punt return numbers provided by Duriancik, special teams have contributed to a number of victories. When you assess the 2008 Geneva football squad, it will be the special teams units that will return most of the experience. 

               
“It’s amazing when you look at what our special teams unit was able to accomplish last year.” DeMarco said.  We are very fortunate to return an experienced group of guys that led the PAC in nearly every statistical category in 2007.” 

Luke Duriancik will show off his versatility during his senior year.  Duriancik will be the featured punt returner for special teams, in addition to lining up with the offense as a dangerous wide receiver.  Duriancik is not the only leader among the PAC that will put on a Geneva uniform in 2008.  Returning sophomore Nick DiPietro will be the place kicker for the second straight season.  In only his first year with the Golden Tornadoes, DiPietro managed to put seven field goals through the uprights, good enough to tie for first in the PAC.  DiPietro’s partner in crime, Andy Stopchick, will return as the punter for Geneva.  Stopchick rounds out the special team trio of PAC leaders that will take the field for the Golden Tornadoes.  Stopchick placed first in number of punts, total yards and second in average at 38.0 yards per punt. “The numbers speak for themselves,” said DeMarco.  “The bottom line is that special teams won us games last year.  I don’t see any reason why it should be different this year. ”

THE COACH

There’s no doubt that Coach DeMarco will go down in the record books for Geneva College.  The only question is how many records he will take with him.  The 2007 season proved to be another record breaking year for the Golden Tornadoes as well as Coach DeMarco.  Geneva College football celebrated its 500th victory this past season and is looking to build on that number in 2008.  Coach DeMarco is directly responsible for a number of those wins in his tenure at Geneva.  DeMarco had a celebration of his own when he reached 100 career victories in 2007.  “I have been so blessed to be a part of this program for 15 years.  The success we have experienced is a tribute to the college, the coaching staff and the players that have I have had the privilege to be around year in and year out.” 

               
Coach DeMarco’s modesty should not take away from the impressive 103-55 overall record that he has amassed in his years as a head coach.  His ability as a coach was never more evident than it was this past season.  The Golden Tornadoes dispatched their PAC opponents handily in their first year competing in the conference.  The last few seasons have been remarkable; however Coach DeMarco is not one to dwell on the past.  “All of the accolades and accomplishments are great.  But what really gets me going is preparing for the next season.  This season especially has me as excited as I’ve ever been.  The returning players we have and the recruiting class we have brought in should combine to be a force on the football field.”  The Golden Tornadoes will seek to add another chapter of their own to the record books this season.  The 2008 season is underway and looking better than ever for the Golden Tornadoes. 

Grove City Wolverines (4-6 Overall, 3-3 PAC in 2006)

With 16 returning starters and several other critical veterans back, the Grove City College football squad enters the 2008 season with its sights set on the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title and a return to the postseason.

Grove City will then conclude the regular season Nov. 15 at home against Thiel in the 25th annual battle for the Mercer County Cup.


Saint Vincent Bearcats (0-10 Overall in 2007)

Though his team finished winless in 10 games a season ago, Saint Vincent head coach Bob Colbert saw the 2007 campaign as anything but a failure. 

"I never want our players to think that they failed because they didn’t score more points than their opponent on a given weekend,” Colbert said.  “Failure would be not going out there and playing hard.  We had some of our best practices when we were 0-8 and 0-9.  I think our guys learned to compete.”

Hired in late 2005, Colbert was dealt the task of resurrecting a football program that had lain dormant since being disbanded following the 1962 campaign, and he devised a system of phases to gauge the progress of his program. The first phase was hiring a staff, ordering equipment, and scheduling games.  The second phase was last year, in that the Bearcats played a full schedule.

"Now," Colbert said, "we enter stage three.  We have to go out there and win some ball games and be competitive.”

Colbert and his staff are quite optimistic that the Bearcats can complete this latest phase.

"Our returnees have certainly benefited from last year," the coach said.  “They now know what college football at our level is all about, and they’ll have an idea of what to expect going into each game.”

He is also quite satisfied with his incoming recruiting class.

"We entered camp this year with 130 players," he said. "I'm pretty proud of that – a new team, a winless team, still able to attract that many guys.”

The big difference Colbert sees from last season is in the athleticism of his squad.

"The entire team is faster and more athletic," said the coach. “The guys coming back all got faster, and we were able to recruit some very fast players.  I’ve always said, you either recruit speed or chase it.”

On offense, the team looks to dramatically improve its output from a season ago, in which it averaged just 10 points per game. 
 

One spot in which the Bearcats will have a new starter is at quarterback.  Last year’s opening day starter, Phil Hamilton, was lost to injury in week four, and is unable to return.  Junior Mike Speal, who saw the majority of time under center, throwing for six touchdowns and rushing for three more in 2007, has been moved to defense, while sophomore Jimmy Nagle, who made seven appearances, also starts the year injured.

Junior Jordan Cleary is the lone returnee under center, appearing in five games last year, completing five passes, including a touchdown.  

"Right now, Cleary has the edge at quarterback," Colbert said.  “He was with us last year and took some snaps, and right now he’s battling it out with two freshmen.”

Another spot that will be filled with a new face is tailback, due to the transfer of last year’s leading rusher Logan Small.  In place of Small, Colbert and his staff hit the recruiting trail hard.

"We recruited a lot of speed at tailback," he said.  "Right now, it’s our fastest position.”

In addition to being the team’s fastest, tailback is also one of the team’s deepest and youngest positions, as 10 freshmen are all vying for carries, with no clear-cut starter emerging as of yet.

Colbert says that fullback is a “position that has been upgraded, both through recruiting and with the development of our returnees.”

Junior Marc Gonzales started all 10 games at fullback last season, while sophomores Joe Strickland and Scott Miller also saw significant game action a year ago.  Another position at which a starter has yet to emerge, the trio of returnees will battle with three newcomers for the starting spot.

Junior Rob James (right), who caught 14 passes for 279 yards a season ago, will lead the receiving corps.  Senior Greg Chinchilla and sophomores Dan Blaszkowski, Mike Wampler, and Tom Quirin also return, while a number of newcomers have also impressed Colbert.

"We've definitely added some height and athletic ability at receiver,” the coach said.  “It’s a much deeper position than last year.”

Junior Jake Gabelt and sophomore Sheldon Loughner return at tight end, after combining for 17 catches, 270 yards, and four touchdowns in 2007.

“Along with Jake and Sheldon,” Colbert said, “we should have some quality depth at tight end.  We have two freshmen who are currently injured who can also contribute.”

While the skill positions on offense are important, Colbert believes that the success of his offensive unit ties directly to the performance of the line.

"Any success begins with the offensive line," Colbert said.  “Four of the five players who are running with the first unit in camp were starters at one point last year. They’re not as big as we’d like, but they’re doing a good job in camp against our defense.  If they give us time running, passing, and getting the ball to our athletes, we will be a productive offense.”

Defensively, Colbert believes that his squad should be much improved from a season ago, when it gave up an average of 50 points and over 500 yards per contest.

"We are a much faster, much more athletic defense than a year ago,” Colbert said.  “The experience our returnees got last year will no doubt benefit them.”

On the line, junior Garrett Hazlett and sophomore Wendell Habig return after combining for 26 tackles, including seven for a loss and four sacks, in 2007.   

"The defensive line is much stronger and much bigger than last season,” the coach said.  Five additional returnees join Hazlett and Habig, while seven freshmen are also competing for time.

Last year’s leading tackler, sophomore Jeff Graham, returns to lead the linebacking corps.  Sophomores Shane Miller, Ozni Rhodes, Joe Titler, and Jacob Kiefer are also back, while three other returnees, including Speal (quarterback), Alex Rowan (receiver) and Tom Quirin  (receiver), make the switch to the position from offense.  Twelve other newcomers are also competing for time at the spot.

Sophomores Quillian Reid, Sean Hufgard, and Josh Diamond, and seniors Lloyd Burns and Dewayne Newman, return at defensive back, and are joined by 10 newcomers battling for time.

While a number of new faces dot the defense, the most significant change from 2007 is on the sideline.  Shawn Rohrer enters his first season for the Bearcats as defensive coordinator, and has brought some changes with him from previous stops at California University (PA) and Shepherd University (WV).

"Shawn is employing a new defensive system this season," Colbert said. “The players are adjusting to it well.  I always say, though, that systems don’t win games, players do. We had a good system last season, but the players didn’t perform.  Our goal this year is to stop the run.  For the most part, with the exception of really just Washington & Jefferson, this is a running league, and in order for us to be competitive, we’re going to have to be able to stop these teams’ running games.”

Sophomore Aaron Jones is the lone returnee on special teams after handling kickoff duties a year ago.  According to Colbert, the Blairsville native is the front runner for field goal duties for 2008.  No punters return from last season, and the head coach said that there has been plenty of competition for the spot entering the season.

While his optimism is apparent for the upcoming campaign, Colbert has just one prediction as his squad enters its second season of competition in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.

"I don't have a set number of games we have to win this season in order for us to call it a success,” he said.  “But, we will be a more competitive team and a better team. We could be 0-10 again and be a better team.  I know the public sees progress by the number of wins, but I don’t see it that way, and I know most coaches would know what I’m talking about.”

With just four seniors on the roster, the Bearcats will once again be a young team, but Colbert doesn’t see this as a reason for poor performance.

"We still have a lot of freshmen and sophomores," the coach said, “but at the Division III level, football is young.  Most of the teams we’ll play against will be really just a year older than us, in terms of having a larger senior class.  A season ago, Washington & Jefferson had 16 seniors out of over 100 players, and they were at the top of the rankings all year.  So despite the majority of our team being underclassmen, we will be competitive.”

The Bearcats kick off the 2008 campaign on September 6^th, hosting McDaniel College (MD) at 1 p.m. at Chuck Noll Field.  

Thiel Tomcats (3-7 Overall, 1-5 PAC in 2007)

Eighth-year head coach Jack Leipheimer is looking forward to a climb back into the top half of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference in 2008, after a 2007 campaign in which his Tomcats turned in a sub-.500 record for the first time in four years.

A brief look back at Leipheimer’s solid tenure at Thiel certainly substantiates his optimistic outlook on the upcoming year. After all, it took his staff only three seasons to resurrect a program that was mired in a nine-season-long string of losing records.

So, the 3-win-7-loss 2007 season was an aberration, right?

“There is no doubt our record in ’07 was a disappointment; we know we were better than the results indicated, but we offer no excuses,” said Leipheimer.

“Every team is faced with adversity at different times; certainly having your quarterback and tailback injured for much of the season presents challenges, and we just didn’t finish when we had the opportunities.”

Leipheimer cites his team’s commitment to improvement – as well a rigorous off-season conditioning program – in what figures to be a pronounced step forward in the program’s battle back to championship form.

“Last season’s record has served as very strong source of motivation for our football program. Our guys were extremely focused, intense, and motivated this past off-season,” said Leipheimer.
“We are faster and stronger than we have ever been, and academically we had our best semester ever with 43-percent of our roster attaining a 3.0 or higher GPA.”

OFFENSE
Quarterback
The Thiel offense will once again be in the hands of junior Willie Bova, who started six games for the Tomcats a season ago, while showing steady improvement. Bova threw for 902 yards and three touchdowns in his sophomore campaign, while figuring heavily in wins against Albion, Bethany, and Saint Vincent.

“Willie is a fierce competitor on the field, in the weight room, and in the classroom; he has a tremendous grasp on our offensive philosophy, and has earned the confidence of the entire team,” said Leipheimer. “We put a lot of pressure on him to put us in the right play and make good solid decisions with the football; we are excited to see his progress this fall.”

Backup Matt Endlish, a sophomore, will also see some significant snaps over the course of the 2008 campaign.

Wide Receiver
Despite the loss of Marc LaScola to graduation, Thiel signal callers will have a solid corps of targets at the wide receiver position, including returning lettermen Tim Van Horn and Brendan Taylor. Van Horn, a senior, averaged nearly 10 yards per catch a year ago while playing in every game. Taylor, a junior, also played in each game in 2007.

Sophomore K.J. Smith and senior Hiro Amano should also see time in 2008.

Running Back
Senior co-captain Dan Hess (left) looks to wrap-up his already-impressive career on a high note, after a junior season that catapulted him into Thiel’s all-time ‘top ten’ for points scored, yards rushed, rushing touchdowns, and rushing attempts over a career. Hess punctuated his 2007 season in the finale – a 62-14 win over Saint Vincent – by rushing for 327 yards and scoring 30 points, en route to three Thiel single-game records and a PAC player-of-the-week nod.

“I don't believe anyone on our team can out work Danny,” said Leipheimer. “He is very intense and highly motivated to be successful, and it is this drive and determination that has earned the respect of everyone in our program.”

Backing up Hess will be sophomore Cody Sirgey who will look to establish himself in the backfield after seeing action in just one game a year ago.

Tomcat fullbacks will be led by senior Jeremiah Wagner, a returning starter at the position who played in nine games, starting four, last season. Junior Mark Dzubak should also see significant playing time while carving out lanes for Thiel ball carriers.

Tight End
Junior Dan Mackall – a starter in nine games for the Tomcats in 2007 – should see his fair share of playing time once again in 2008. Senior Justin Sadler and sophomore transfer student Garrett Anderson could also see some snaps at tight end.

Offensive Line
The Thiel offensive line returns a veteran right side in junior guard J.R. Kenna and senior tackle Ryan Jordan. Sophomores Al Foti and Andy Stine are also in the mix for playing time at right guard.
From center moving left, sophomores Vinnie Palmiere, Gary Petrucci, Adam Troup, and juniors Nick Goettman and Steve Speicher will be pushing each other for valuable minutes on the field.

DEFENSE
Linebacker
Senior co-captain Sam Swartzfager will anchor the defense after putting together an all-around impressive junior season in 2007.

The three-year letterman earned starts in all ten games last year while recording 84 tackles (45 solo), 5.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks.

“Sam's knowledge of our defensive system, and his play on the field has earned the respect of his teammates on both sides of the ball, as well as that of the coaching staff,” commented Leipheimer. “He is someone we know we can count on day in and day out.”

At middle linebacker, junior Mike Clemens will step in. Clemens’ – a first-time letterwinner a season ago – played in all 10 games in 2007 while earning four starts as he put together a solid 40-tackle campaign. Sophomore Matt Saur should also get his shot at shutting down the middle of the field in 2008.

One of only two Thiel freshmen to win a letter last year, sophomore Mike Lewis will team with classmate Bobby Shew and junior Clint Walker to fill out the Tomcat linebacking corps.

Defensive Back
The 2008 edition of the Thiel secondary will be led by senior safety Matt Joy. A ten-game starter a year ago and a two-year letterwinner, Joy made 37 stops in 2007 in addition to breaking up seven passes and a grabbing an interception.

At left corner, senior and returning starter Tom Butera will hold down the fort; with Bryan Villegas and Joe Stenger both seeing action on the right side.

Defensive Line
The defensive line will feature some familiar faces stepping into more prominent positions, with senior Matt Turek as the unit’s only returning starter.

“We are counting heavily on Matt’s leadership to help mold an inexperienced front four, explained Leipheimer. “However, by moving outside linebackers Steve Waldo and Scott Thompson to defensive end, and with the continued improvement of Will Haase at defensive tackle, I am confident our front will become a very productive unit that we can count on. In addition, I believe Matt Shields and Aaron Grill will see significant action.”

SPECIAL TEAMS
With the departure of all-PAC kicker/punter Sammy Koyl, place kicking duties will fall to Garret Anderson at the season’s start. Punting duties will be decided as camp unfolds this summer.

The Tomcats, however, are blessed with several talented punt and kick returners, highlighted by safety Matt Joy and receiver Brendan Taylor. Joy has been a challenge to kick coverage units throughout his career, averaging returns of 8.0 yards on punts and nearly 15 yards on kickoffs. Taylor took over as Thiel’s primary kick returner last season, averaging nearly 18 yards on 11 returns.



Thomas More Saints (4-6 Overall, 2-4 PAC in 2007)
 

OFFENSE
With two freshmen sharing time at quarterback, the Thomas More offense sputtered at times. The Saints finished next to last in scoring offense with 18.5 points per game. The return of Stellman, the continued development of junior running back Cordario “Monty” Collier (right) and the influx of some speed on the edges should boost the Saints offense into the upper echelon of the PAC.

“We have the possibility to be very explosive,” said Hilvert.

The return of three starters along the offensive line and the return of junior offensive lineman Brandon Shouse (Hebron, KY/Conner) will aid in the proficiency of the offensive attack.

Washington & Jefferson Presidents (10-1 Overall, 6-0 PAC in 2007)

Washington & Jefferson College head coach Mike Sirianni reflected on the 2007 Presidents’ football season with a smile on his face.     

W&J collected its third undefeated regular-season since 2000 and its ninth overall in school history.  The Presidents won their 22nd Presidents’ Athletic Conference title, including the 19th in the past 23 seasons.  

However, a stinging 35-34 home overtime loss to North Carolina Wesleyan in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs will set the tone once the 117th preseason camp in school history starts on August 15th.   

“That loss took awhile for us to get over,” said Sirianni, ranked third on the NCAA Division III active coaches winning percentage list (50-8, .862).  “In reality, it isn’t any different than any of our other recent end of the season losses though.  We didn’t reach our ultimate goal, but we did have a tremendous year and no one can take those accomplishments away.”

Sirianni returns 58 letter winners, including 22 seniors, to Cameron Stadium this fall with high hopes of getting back to the point where last year’s season ended.  

“Having 22 seniors is very unique in today’s world of NCAA football,” added Sirianni.  “Most of these seniors have played just about every game for the past three years.  They have lost two regular-season games in their careers and they certainly don’t want that number to increase.”

The Presidents, who have won 19 consecutive regular season games, will be led by a high-powered offense which ranked second in the nation last year in total offense with a school-record 518.7 yards per game.  W&J also finished fourth in NCAA Division III with 46.2 points per contest. 

W&J has been ranked as high as No. 2 (The Sporting News) in preseason polls.  For a program that has won the second-most games in Division III history (646-367-40), expectations are always high in August. 

“In 2004, we advanced to the national quarterfinals and were ranked at the bottom half of the polls in the preseason,” said Sirianni.  “We had very high expectations in 2002 and 2005 and we bowed out early in the playoffs.  The best teams will rise to the top near the end of the season.”   

Directing the offense for a third-straight season will be senior quarterback Bobby Swallow (left).  Swallow has completed 402-of-578 career passes for 5,242 yards (4th in W&J history) and 67 touchdowns (3rd in school history). Last year, Swallow completed 229-of-331 pass attempts for 3,106 yards and 46 scores. He was intercepted only three times.

“It is going to be hard for Bobby to improve his numbers from a year ago, because he played so well,” noted the sixth-year head coach.  “However, we want to play our best football during our senior years and Bobby will do that.  He will be the first one to tell anyone that we can improve our wins in the playoffs.  That is what he is motivated by.”  

The key to the offense’s success will be the players blocking in front of Swallow.  Two W&J senior linemen, right guard Matt Houy and center Dave Bucar, have been named D3football.com Preseason All-Americans.  The Presidents also return junior left tackle Kirk Fulton and will look from another large group to fill the left guard and right tackle positions lost to graduating players. 

“Matt and Dave are both three-year letter winners who have started every game over the past two seasons,” added Sirianni.  “We believe the offensive line can be the strength of our team.  These guys have worked hard to get to this point in their career and we expect them to dominate opponents.” 

Sirianni believes the open starting positions will come from a group that includes seniors Brandon Kosco and Tyler Wilson, juniors Jacob Hornick and Matt Montenero and sophomores Pat Denecke, Jacob Link, Jordan Thompson and Adam Zampatti. 

Senior running backs Kevin Mathews  and Curt Jones combined to rush for over 1,700 yards and will once again be the featured backs in 2008.  Mathews gained 991 yards and scored nine touchdowns, while also catching 32 passes (3rd on team) for 424 yards and six scores.  Jones rushed for 738 yards and crossed the goal line seven times.  Both running backs are also dangerous kick returners. 

Sirianni is also excited about the depth at the position as junior Terrence McAllister (278 yds., 2 TD) and sophomore Derek Taylor are young talents who are waiting for their shots. 

“Kevin and Curt are going to play more on the field at the same time this year,” noted Sirianni.  “We want to involve them even more in the passing game.  We expect more out of them because they are going to have to play their best or our younger guys will get opportunities.” 

The wide receiving corps loses the team’s top threat, Tom McCafferty, but returns four players who caught at least 12 passes a year ago.  Senior David Ravida has quietly produced solid numbers over the last two years with 96 receptions for 1,224 yards and 12 touchdowns.  He enters his senior season 32 catches away from moving into fourth place on the all-time list.  Senior Ryan Church, a converted quarterback, became a big-play threat as he hauled in 28 passes for 364 yards and seven touchdowns.  Senior Luke Espe (12-155-4) and junior Craig Besong (19-233-5) will be more targets for Swallow, while a host of other young players will vie for opportunities in the five-wide sets.  Senior Josh Rodgers and junior Paul Boyagoda will serve as the tight ends. 

“Our receivers always find a way to step up and replace those we have lost to graduation,” said the 36-year-old head coach.  “We have lost the top five receivers number-wise in school history over the last eight years and we have always had different players have great seasons.  I expect that tradition to continue.”  

The Presidents’ defense will have a different look in 2008 as Casey Goff and Matt Caponi take over as Co-Defensive Coordinators.  Goff spent his first season on the staff in 2007 as the defensive line coach, while Caponi accepted the promotion after two years coaching the Presidents’ defensive backs. 

“We are looking forward to seeing what Coach Goff and Coach Caponi can do with our defense,” added Sirianni.  “We are going to show some different looks and change our philosophy a bit.  These two coaches are ready for the challenge.” 

The unquestioned leader of the defense is junior linebacker David Gitlitz.  Gitlitz will start for the third-straight season in the middle of the defense and will be joined by returning starters senior outside linebacker  John Fahey and sophomore outside linebacker Zach Pugliese (28 tackles).  Gitlitz has improved steadily each of the past three seasons and is 87 tackles shy of becoming the third player in school history to amass 300 career stops.  In addition to Fahey and Pugliese, Sirianni is also excited about sophomores Jon Pugh, Nick Resnik and Sal Ruggeri.  

“David has been a great player throughout his career for us,” added Sirianni.  “Last year, he was a great player on an average defense.  We need him to be a great player on a great defense.  I expect John to play to his full potential this year, because he is a great athlete.  Zach performed well in his first season.” 

Senior cornerback Chris Kessler and the brother safety combination of junior Mike Sedunov and sophomore Craig Sedunov will anchor the secondary.  Kessler finished fourth on the team in tackles last year with 49 and added three interceptions.  Craig Sedunov had 41 stops and two interceptions, while Mike Sedunov had 15 tackles and one pick before his season ended due to an injury. 

Juniors Mitch Erdely and Nate Bucklew will battle Mike and Craig Sedunov for the starting safety positions, while senior Travis Dunn and sophomores Michael Digman and Michael Trunzo will compete for the open cornerback slot.  Junior Zach Agett and sophomore Nathan Harmotto will also see action. 

“We definitely have some inexperience at the one cornerback position, but Chris is a great leader and will help those guys adjust,” noted Sirianni.  “Craig had an All-PAC year as a freshman and Mike has battled back strong from his injury.  We have some talented guys in the secondary.”  

The defensive line is an area where Sirianni stresses that the Presidents must improve.  Junior Jacob Bloomhuff had a breakout year in 2007 with 42 tackles (13.5 for a loss) and 4.5 sacks, while senior Mitch Tenney had 28 stops and a pair of sacks.  Seniors Bradley Begonia, Brandon Bovina, Matt Ellinger, Thomas Gaul and Brandon Pfeifer, juniors Chad Boskat, Ryan Breen, Cory Denious and Ricky Morris will all be in the mix during preseason camp.  The group will also be boosted by junior Brendan O’Mahony, an All-PAC running back last year, who has switched positions. 

“We feel we have underachieved in this area in recent history, but we have talent,” said Sirianni. 

Senior Zack Zebrasky will handle the punting chores for the fourth consecutive season.  He has averaged 35.8 yards on 98 career punts.  Junior Chuck Grabner booted six field goals as a first-time starter in 2007 and finished third on the team in scoring with 78 points. 

The focus during the first day of preseason camp will not be any different than the previous five under Sirianni.  W&J’s 23rd PAC Championship would earn a trip back to the playoffs where the ultimate goal would once again begin. 

“It is often a cliche, but we have to play one game at a time to get back to the position we were in last year,” concluded Sirianni.  “The teams in the PAC improve every year.  Waynesburg has an outstanding football team.  We have to play great football to get back to the playoffs.  This senior group is determined to get us there.”

Waynesburg Yellow Jackets (8-3 Overall, 5-1 PAC in 2007)

Going into the 2008 season, there is plenty of buzz surrounding the Waynesburg University football team.

On offense, the team returns plenty of experience at the various positions, not to mention a running back in sophomore Robert Heller, who is coming off of the program's first 2,000-rushing yard season.

The big questions to be answered will be on defense where star defensive end Mike Czerwien, who was honored on multiple prestigious websites, and even the pages of Sports Illustrated, is gone.

The Pittsburgh native is just one of six highly accomplished starters on the defensive side of the ball who are gone from last year's unit. Finding replacements for a wealth of graduated talent is clearly job number one for the coaching staff if they want to have another season like last year's 8-3 (5-1 in conference) campaign that ended with a trip to the ECAC Southeast championship game.

THE OFFENSE
With eight starters left over from an offense that averaged 30.4 points per game last year, it doesn't appear as though scoring will be a problem for Waynesburg. Three of last year's five starting offensive linemen are back from last year's unit to plow the road for a running attack that rolled up a whopping 2,754 yards and 37 touchdowns on the ground.

That same line will be counted on to protect whoever emerges as the team's starting quarterback. Whoever ends up earning the starting job under center will have a slew of experienced receivers to throw to.

There is one gaping hole on the offense left to be filled as head coach Rick Shepas and his staff looks to find a replacement for bruising fullback Aaron Davis, a two-time All-PAC selection, who was heavily involved in both the rushing and passing attacks.

If the replacements can be found for the absences on the line and at the fullback/h-back spots, this year's offense could truly be special.

QUARTERBACKS
The two men who handled the bulk of the 2007 quarterbacking duties are back for 2008. Junior Andy Lauterbach and sophomore Kyle Kyper appeared in nine and eight games, respectively, for the Yellow Jackets and combined to throw for 1,323 of the team's 1,353 total yards through the air.

Kyper had a higher completion percentage - 48 percent to 40 percent - and more touchdown passes - six to one - than Lauterbach, but the junior is more experienced and his ability to create with his legs is also a plus. Sophomore Josh Graham also saw very limited action, completing two-of-three passes for 30 yards.

Along with the veterans, sophomore California University of Pa. transfer and former Thomas Jefferson High School standout Brad Dawson is also expected to compete for the job.
Shepas was also excited to see how several freshman quarterbacks fare in the weeks leading up to the September 6 opener.

RUNNING BACKS
There is no question who will be getting the bulk of the carries in 2008 as Heller returns for an encore to an amazing freshman season.

In his first year in a Yellow Jacket uniform, Heller set single-season team records for yardage (2,176), carries (383) and touchdowns (26). The key for this season appears to be finding ball carriers to take some of the load off the second-team All-American.

Sophomore Troy Garove is the second-leading rusher back on the team, behind Lauterbach. The speedy tailback ran 26 times for 106 yards in 2007.

Among the candidates to also find some carries going their way is sophomore Billy Becker, a Waynesburg Central High School graduate.

The glaring need in the backfield is finding the best possible replacement for Davis. Several players have thrown their respective hats into the ring for the job. Junior Terrance Roddy, who spent last year on the coaching staff while recovering from an injury, is a veteran who could compete for the position. Speedier candidates include senior Chris Smithley and junior Craig Broman.

Shepas added that it would not be a surprise at all if a back-by-committee approach was taken, with different players being used for different situations.

RECEIVERS
When asked to comment about this year's receivers, Shepas said that he feels the team is as loaded at the position as they have ever been.

Leading the group will be sophomore Ray Hightower II. Last year, the then-freshman led the team in catches (21), receiving yards (435) and touchdown catches (3). Hightower is also a big play threat as he averaged 20.7 yards per catch.

Junior Josh Fisher brings a 16.2 yard-per-catch average with him from 2007 and classmate Tom Hudson is second among returning receivers with 12 catches for 138 yards.

Shepas is also very excited about several tall, speedy freshman receivers who were not only standouts on the high school gridiron, but also had great success on their respective track and field teams. These first-year players will combine with more experienced ball-catchers to give the Yellow Jackets a deep pool of talent to pick from.

Waynesburg will also have some experience back at the tight end position with red shirt sophomore Tyler Halfhill and brawny junior Ryan McWreath (6-3, 250). Both players recorded catches in 2007.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Last year's offensive line was a true strength for the team, and the majority of that starting line is back.

Senior tackle Max Anderson, junior guard Adam Pastrnak and junior tackle Jared Bussard return to pave the way for what looks to be a potent Waynesburg attack.
However, replacements need to be found for a pair of 11-game starters in center Dan Vitale and guard Alex Tempalski.

At center, senior Ryan Shumway appears to be the leading candidate for Vitale's job. A trio of returning players looks to have a step-up on the competition for the other guard slot. Sophomores Corey Dieterle and Mike Broda, along with junior Todd Shulsky, give Shepas some veterans to look over for the spot.

Melvin Warrick, a junior who did not play for the team last year, has also gotten high marks from Shepas and could see time somewhere along the offensive front. While he didn't lace up the cleats for last year's football team, Warrick was a contributing member to last year's Waynesburg wrestling team as a heavyweight.

When it comes to freshmen, Shepas raved about his latest crop of big men and believes it was a true strength of his coaching staff's latest class.

THE DEFENSE
Last year, Waynesburg boasted the top defense in the PAC in several major categories. The Yellow Jackets were tops in yards allowed per game (225), fewest first downs given up (137) and sacks (42).

Perhaps the most impressive defensive statistics had to deal with Waynesburg's stinginess against the run. The Yellow Jackets gave up just 68 yards per game on the ground, almost 40 yards better than the next best unit. They also held opposing ball carriers to an average of just 1.9 yards per tote.

Repeating that sort of dominance may be difficult as just five starters return from last year's group. Included in that group of departed starters is Czerwien, who led the nation in sacks (23.0) and tackles for loss (34.5). The Pittsburgh native was also the MVP of the conference for the 2007 season and was selected to several prestigious All-American teams.

The team also lost two more first-team All-PAC defensive selections in linebacker Brendon Steele, who was also the team's leading tackler, and standout safety Stefon Strothers. Jacques Newberry, who led the team in interceptions with five, and linebacker Dan Andreassi, both honorable-mention All-PAC selections, are also gone.

While defensive coordinator Scott Venick will have has hands full in finding new bodies to fill the roles played by such standouts in the linebacker corps and secondary, he will have a veteran group of starters back on the defensive line to hold down the fort.

DEFENSIVE LINE
The clear strength of the defense, a trio of seniors is back this year to anchor the defensive front.

While Czerwien is gone, the Yellow Jackets still have an All-American-quality defensive end in senior D.J. DeWitt (right), who finished second in sacks last season (10.5) and was a first-team All-PAC selection.

In the middle, senior LaDrekus Burford, who is going into his fourth year as a starter, will be charged with plugging up the middle and eating up blockers to open lanes for the pass rush. The junior was an honorable mention selection for the all-conference team.

Last, but not least, is senior Dave Piecuch. The Ellwood City native started nine games last year and recorded 4.5 tackles for a loss and a sack. Piecuch will line up as a linebacker/defensive end hybrid as Waynesburg will be using a multitude of looks in the front.

LINEBACKERS
The linebacking corps will have a very different look to it this season with the graduation of Andreassi and Steele, combined with Piecuch spending time in the trenches. With that in mind, several new players will have a chance to shine in 2008. Three starting jobs will breed intense competition in preseason camp.

At the outside spots, red shirt freshman Scott Warton and sophomores Billy Polizotto and Dominic Presutti, Jr. are just a few of the competitors for the openings.

In the middle, sophomores Scott Bradley, Anthony Calcagni and Cody Ketchem are a trio of candidates. Junior Brandon DeCecco is also expected to be in the mix.

The Yellow Jacket coaching staff is hoping that a large group of freshmen will be able to provide depth and minutes on the field while new starters are found.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
After linebacker, defensive back is probably the biggest question mark for Waynesburg. However, the cupboard is far from bare.

Redshirt junior safety Ryan Krull had a tremendous season after missing 2006 with a knee injury. Krull was lauded as a first-team All-PAC selection and showed his versatility as a playmaker by recording 81 tackles, tied for third on the team, three interceptions, five pass breakups, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

Also back is junior cornerback Scott Cree. Last year, his first with the Yellow Jackets, Cree recorded 41 tackles and an interception. He also forced and recovered a fumble.

At the other safety spot, junior Dylan August is one of the top contenders for the position after seeing time in 10 games last season and picking off a pass. 

At the other cornerback position, a pair of juniors is among the pool of talent who will look to man the spot opposite of Cree. Mike Kaminski saw field time in all 11 games last season and Abdul Yusuff was active in seven contests in 2007. A slew of younger players are also expected to provide serious competition for the job.

THE SPECIAL TEAMS
Last year, Waynesburg had questions to answer at kicker and returner. Though there are veterans back at both positions, Shepas has been very excited about some freshmen who bring some solid credentials to the place kicker job.

KICKER
With the departure of last year's starting kicker, Kyle McBride, from the team, the starting kicking job looks like it will come down to a trio of freshmen from the local Western Pennsylvania interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL). Freshmen Bryan Arbes, Roger Brandemarte and Chris Marini all bring solid resumes with them to Waynesburg and are expected to be a part of maybe the hottest competition in camp.

PUNTER
Junior Nate Feniello enters his junior season with a year-and-a-half of starting experience under his belt. In 2007, the Connellsville native averaged 33.3 yards per kick with a long punt of 71 yards and 13 punts downed inside the 20.

RETURNERS
Cree was the top kick returner of a year ago. The junior corner averaged 22.5 yards per return. Garove was also active as a kick returner and the speedy running back could factor into that part of the Yellow Jackets' game.

Last year, Cree returned 28-of-38 punts on the year and ran one back for a touchdown. The Waynesburg native averaged 9.1 yards per return. Depth behind Cree will likely be determined during camp. 

The Yellow Jackets are scheduled to open the season on September 6 with a home game against the College of Wooster. With another non-conference game, a road contest at Hanover (Ind.), slated before the start of PAC play, coach Shepas and his staff will look to have any personnel questions answered before Sept. 20, when Waynesburg hosts Thomas More to begin conference action.

Westminster Titans (5-5 Overall, 2-4 PAC in 2006)

One thing you will no longer see at Westminster College is home football games played on natural grass at Harold Burry Stadium. The 58-year-old stadium now features new lighting, FieldTurf and an entrance plaza. According to blueprints, natural grass is not the only thing going the way of the dodo bird. The 17 returning starters, a poised coaching staff, and a cast of confident Titans are demolishing any thoughts of a losing season.

It all started when head coach Jeff Hand took over the program in 2005. The team then improved from a 2-8 season in 2006 to a 5-5 record in 2007, which was the program's 51st season at .500 or better in the last 57 years. The Titans also tied for fourth in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) with a 2-4 league mark.

Now, the Titan program will only accept one thing, and that is winning. Westminster is well equipped to do just that with seven returning starters on offense, including two-year starters at quarterback and tailback, and nine returning starters on defense, including a pair of all-PAC selections.

"We expect our program to continue to grow with many experienced players coming back this year," said Hand, who enters his fourth season at Westminster. "Our defense comes back almost entirely intact and the offense returns many key components. The development of our young talent is vital to Westminster restoring its winning tradition."

Offense
Junior quarterback Kevin Franz and junior tailback Nick McKolosky started the last two seasons, but last year was the first that Westminster saw equal potency from their passing and running games. Franz and McKolosky ranked in the top four in the PAC in passing yards (1,797) and rushing (980) yards, respectively, a year after Franz led the league with 2,090 passing yards and McKolosky was ninth in rushing at 318 yards.

McKolosky's 978 rushing yards on 238 carries during the 2007 season included all of his five career 100-yard rushing games.

Westminster led the PAC in time of possession in 2007 at 32:47 per game and a big part of its success was the balanced attack and increased productivity in running game. The best example of this was Westminster having a 200-yard passer and a 100-yard rusher in the same game for three straight games. That never happened before in school history.

Franz, who completed 172 of 260 passes with nine interceptions and 15 touchdowns last year, is on pace to becomes the school's all-time leading passer as he enters the 2008 season ranked fifth with 3,887 yards, 1,939 yards shy of James Graham's record of 5,826 from 1997-2000.

The passing game is losing its two-time team MVP Brett Ziegler, who graduated after becoming the school's all-time leading receiver with 142 receptions including 52 and 55 in each of the last two seasons. However, Franz is not without weapons. McKolosky caught 29 and 36 passes out of the backfield the last two years. Senior wide receiver Jordan Belosh is a two-year starter who has caught at least 20 passes in each of the last two seasons. Junior tailback/wide receiver Chad Rosatelli saw more action in the slot and led the team in scoring last year with seven touchdowns.

Junior Gary Hutsler and senior Jack Seifert rotated a tight end last year with Hutsler making four starts and Seifert two.

Another notable returning player is fullback Jacob Shaffer, who scored four touchdowns last year (three rushing, one receiving), while rushing 17 times for 40 yards, mostly in short yardage situations.

The offensive line may be the team's biggest concern with only two returning starters. Sophomore Mike Kudelko started all 10 games at right guard and was named the team's Newcomer of the Year. Junior Bill Altenhof started the final seven games at left guard.

Defense

New defensive coordinator Tom Watts, who called defenses for Wisconsin-Platteville in one of the nation's toughest conferences the last four years, will have the luxury of having nine returning starters in his first year with the Titans. Westminster also has three additional players with starting experience making this year's defense one of the deepest since Hand took over the program.

First, you have second-team all-PAC selections in senior defensive end Andrew Robison and senior inside linebacker Jordan Blinn (left). Robison was a big reason why Westminster increased its sack total from eight in 2006 to 19 in 2007 as he led the team with seven sacks. Blinn was the team's leading tackler the last two seasons including 94 stops in 2007.

Blinn, Robison and senior defensive tackle Matt Jaworski all enter the 2008 season making 20 consecutive starts. They are also joined by the experience of two-year starters Jake Wilczynski at free safety and senior Scott Brucker at outside linebacker.

The team's second-leading tackler, senior outside linebacker Jake Martinez, made 70 stops last year in his first year as a starter and would be a two-year starter if not for an injury in 2006.

Junior Mario Camerota led the Titans with seven pass break-ups and two interceptions in his first year as the team's starting cornerback last year. Also returning to the defensive backfield is sophomore Daniel Joyce at strong safety. Junior safety Jim Petrolla, junior inside linebacker Brad Meehan and senior defensive lineman Neil Falco also have experience starting multiple games and will likely see significant action.

Special Teams

Junior Fred Romeo is back to handle the kicking duties. A two-year starter, Romeo made two out of seven field goal attempts, both coming in the 13-6 win over Allegheny in the season opener, and his kickoffs traveled an average of 52.9 yards.

Romeo will also likely punt for the Titans with three-time, first-team all-PAC punter Dusty Rhodes graduating last year.

The punt and kick returner will likely be junior Jon Gubish, who made 22 kick returns and 19 punt returns in 2007 for averages of 19.0 and 7.4 yards, respectively. Rosatelli and McKolosky are also potential return men.


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