2008 Football Season Preview

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Jeff Wedding isn't worried.
  Daniel Carter? "Noooooo."
  Brendan Carragher, the only returning starter on the offensive line? Nope.
  So while University of Saint Francis football fans may have spent the off-season wondering and worrying about what's up front, members within the program have concentrated on getting stronger, improving footwork, learning schemes and ultimately taking that final step that the previous five teams have come so close to making.
  Along with re-taking the lead in the Mid-States Football Association by winning the Mideast League, the road to the NAIA Football Championships Series title game now runs to Rome, Georgia that is. The Cougars were the No. 2 choice among MEL coaches for the league championship behind defending champion Ohio Dominican. Foremost, the focus for the ultimate road trip in Cougars' 11th season is that ticket to Rome.
  "Maybe that's part of the intense competition we saw in the spring, the chance to go to a new location for the championship game," Kevin Donley said reflecting on the Blue and White Game last April, a 20-17 nail-biter for the White over the Blue. "We also had a lot of talented, new players excited to show what they could do at wide receiver and at offensive line, so it was the most spirited spring game we've ever had.
  "We got after it pretty good once we could get outside," Donley added. "That's always a good sign."
Wedding, who returns for his senior season with 12 starts at quarterback on his resume, only got ‘dinged' once in the spring game.
  "They've made excellent progress," Wedding said after the game. "I'm sure they'll come back and make even greater strides in August."
Carter, who was All-MSFA first team at running back AND return specialist, echoed Wedding's confidence.
  "They showed improvement every day and I'm sure they will do the same this fall," Carter said. "We've got some who may be starting for the first time, but they've got some experience, and will just get better with more playing time."
  With the return of Victory Sports Network All-Americans Tim Farrell, Paul Carter III and Carl Thomas along with the top seven tacklers for USF, the 11th Cougars defense has the potential to rank among the all-time best. Thinking about the big-play possibilities gives . . .
  "Yes we do," defensive coordinator Warren Maloney agrees, "but we've got to produce in-game. You've got to have proper execution to meet or surpass expectations."

Cougars on Offense
Backfield
Experience, breakaway speed, bulldozing effort, quarterbacks who can run as well as they throw all make the Cougars one of the most explosive offensive teams in NAIA. Daniel Carter and Doug Wasylk return in the USF backfield, but the pre-season challenge will be to settle on replacements for Marcus Rush, who scored 11 rushing TDs in 2007, and Taylor Vieck, who sustained an in injury in the Blue and White game that required off-season surgery that will keep him sidelined in 2008. Vieck scored eight rushing TDs and had three TD receptions.
With the return of Carter, Wasylk, Bart Schnur, and Elijah Flowers, the Cougars return 2,249 yards rushing, an average of 173 yards per game which is a solid base to build on in 2008. Schnur also sustained an off-season injury requiring surgery and may miss the first four games of the season.
  Wedding returns at QB looking to improve on a solid season in 2007, his first as the starting signal caller. Hampered by a banged up knee early in 2007, Wedding sat out the Marian game, then returned to lead USF back to a record-tying ninth straight NAIA Football Championship Series berth. Wedding directed USF to seven consecutive wins, six straight against NAIA ranked teams, and every victory crucial to earning that record-tying playoff slot.
  "We had a pretty good season, but what I remember most was that loss at Carroll, and it is my motivation, our motivation this season," Wedding said.
"What I will carry with me is the effect losing that game had on the seniors. I felt terribly for them and wished I could have done more. This is my last shot," the first NAIA ‘All That's Right in Sport' Award winner said. "I have done everything I can to be as prepared as possible to make the most of it."
Wedding's athleticism makes him a threat to pass or run. He was the only USF back to rush for 100 or more yards in a game last season and heads into the 2008 season with at least one TD pass in his last 13 games.
  Wedding will also get pushed for playing time from Shaine Tierney and Justin Boser. Tierney led USF to victory in his first collegiate start against Marian and Boser really emerged as a force in the Blue and White Game.

Leading Rushing Returners
                          Yr.    Yds.   TDs   YPC   YPG
Daniel Carter Jr.    863   11     6.3   66.4
Doug Wasylk Sr.    381    1     7.6   31.8
Jeff Wedding Sr.    280    2     4.2   23.3

Receivers
Wide open is the best way to describe competition for USF wide receiver openings with the departure of Zach Rainey and Bo Thompson, the top two Cougar receivers in 2007. The duo accounted for 1,397 yards receiving in 2007 and 11 TD receptions. Add the absence of Vieck, and that's 1,649 yards and 14 TDs.
Prime challengers for more playing time include Brian Schultz, Mickey Cassidy, Jared Clodfelter, Kyle Peabody, and Zack Birge among the players returning. Schultz and Clodfelter are both long, lanky receivers who had impressive performances in the Blue and White Game. Schultz averaged 14.1 yards per catch last season and one TD reception. Clodfelter also had a strong spring to wrap up his first full season at USF while Birge came through with an impressive last minute catch in the Blue and White Game.
A healthy Eric Rhodes would be a welcome addition after a 2007 season of limited play due to injuries.
At tight end, Miah Wood and Ryan Kauchak return to provide USF QBs excellent options as receivers. Wood made the most of six receptions in 2007, four for TDs.

Interior Line
This is an area of concern for the Cougars with a shortage of experience the major issue. Brendan Carragher is the most experienced lineman back with 10 starts at center in 2007. Tommy Oliver is expected to challenge Carragher for playing time at center. No other returnee has as much as one start among them from the 2007 season, though senior Derek Bryant did start 12 games in 2006 and will be a valuable asset again in 2008 as the next most experienced lineman. Bryant is a hard-nosed senior who knows what it takes to get the job done and provides versatility with experience at center, guard and tackle. At left tackle, Justin Vela played in four games before suffering a season-ending injury, so he does have limited experience and is looking for more as a sophomore this season.
  On the right side, red-shirt freshman Corey Cronk and senior Derrick Ball are the top two contenders at guard. Ball played in four games last season while Cronk was impressive earning two coaches' selection Offensive Scout Team Player of the Week. Dan Muchler, also a red-shirt freshman like Cronk, has the inside track at tackle, though line coach Trevor Miller says nothing is a lock and competition will be keen. Along with the loss of All-American Brian Smiley and Josh Ekovich, USF will miss starters Ryan Atkins and Wes Renschler as well as Luke Lichtensteiger, who has called it a career after a second season-ending knee injury in 2007.

Cougars on Defense
Interior Line
  Joe Piwoszkin anchors the interior line with six starts and 11 games played in 2007 along with 20 total tackles. Derek Prather appears to have the edge heading into the quest to fill the slot held by All-American William Knepper. Prather will get a strong challenge for playing time from returnees Matt Truttling, Justin Robinson and Mark Moore, who sat out last season. Truttling is the most experienced of the trio after playing in five games last season and with three solo tackles.
  When Piwoszkin needs a break, USF will count on sophomore Bryan Hardister after he played in eight games in 2007. New Cougars' line coach Eric Wagoner also expects sophomore Bryan Hardister to challenge for more playing time in 2008 after he played in eight games for the Cougars in 2007.

2007 IT Tackle Leaders
                                   GP     ST     TT
Joe Piwoszkin, Sr. 11     6    20
Derek Prather, Jr. 11    11    20
Bryan Hardister, So. 8    3     7

Ends
Feel the heat? It's Tim Farrell on one end and Stephen Whited on the other with a combined 16 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in 2007. Whited's five sacks for 25 yards led the Cougars' sack attack while Farrell led USF in forced fumbles with three and finished No. 6 on the USF total tackles list. Steve Vaught and T.J. Boyle had strong showings during spring workouts and are expected to challenge for playing time. Vaught had played outside linebacker the last two seasons and finished with 17 tackles in 2007 appearing in all 13 games. Sean Grattenthaler also figures in the rotation after playing in five games in 2007. Ryan Lehrman, Spencer Plummer, Mike Atkinson and Aaron Myers are challenging for their first playing experience.

Linebackers
  Carl Thomas, Cody Capps, and Jarrell Hunter accounted for more than nearly tackles last season and they all return for 2008.
  Thomas led USF in tackles and is joined at inside linebacker by Mark Drobac, who has spot starting experience, played in 12 games in 2007. Thomas and Farrell tied for the team-lead in TFLs with 8.5 apiece in 2007. Capps led USF in solo tackles with 41 in 2007 and along with Hunter are solid at outside linebacker.
  Adam Greene returns for his second season after he played in seven games in 2007 and Eric Lash returns to the program challenging for playing time.
At outside linebacker, Troy Hudson and Devron Robinson both saw considerable playing time and should challenge for more playing time this season. Hudson finished with 33 tackles, forced two fumbles and had two passes broken up in 13 games. Robinson played in seven games and had four tackles.
 
USF Tackle Leaders
                                            S - Ast-Total
Carl Thomas, ILB         40-60  - 100
Cody Capps, OLB         41-42  -  83
Jarrell Hunter, OLB       24-40-    64
Mark Drobac, ILB         13-20-    33
Troy Hudson, OLB        16-17-    33

Cornerbacks
  Paul Carter III and Donavon Evans tied for the team lead in PBU's with nine apiece in 2007 and they also intercepted three passes apiece, obviously welcome returns with experience as well as talent. Gilbert Allen and Knick Middleton also return, Allen having played in 11 games last season and Middleton in four. Opposition shied away from Carter in 2007 and no doubt will try to do the same in 2008 after he was named the No. 1 Defensive Back in Victory Sports Network Preseason Super 72 Team.

Safety
  Sam Miles is the man at safety, but he won't go unchallenged. Justin Milcarek moves from cornerback to safety after playing in 11 games at corner in 2007.
Miles had two INTs in 2007, was a two-time USF coaches pick as Defensive Player of the Game and was a coaches pick as Special Teams Player of the Game as well. Milcarek was also a coaches pick as Special Teams Player of the Game.
  Jordan Wise is no stranger to safety having played in high school and worked out at safety during spring workouts after serving at QB in 2007. Ross Bauman also moves from corner and is expected to make a strong challenge for additional time.

Cougars' Special Teams
  Daniel Carter returns after earning All-MSFA Return Specialist first team honors in 2007 when he averaged 25 yards per return on kickoffs. That was good for No. 3 in the MSFA. He has averaged 24.7 yards per return the last two seasons. Bart Schnur also returns as the No. 2 kickoff return option after averaging 19.0 yards on 11 returns in 2007. Mickey Cassidy will be back to o handle punt return duties as well as serving as holder for place kicks. Cassidy averaged 10.1 yards on punt returns, fifth best average in the MSFA in 2007.
  Rhys Barnhart is ‘The Foot' at USF in the place-kicking department after his record-setting season hitting 4-for-4 field goal attempts and 55-of-56 extra point tries. He finished No. 3 in USF scoring with 67 points including his game-winning field goal at Bethel (TN). Barnhart and Kevin Smith are the top two candidates to handle kickoff duties.

Schedule
   Among the toughest in NAIA when you consider the MSFA Mideast League has three teams in the NAIA Top 10 - No. 2 Ohio Dominican, No. 7 St. Xavier and No. 5 USF. Another MSFA MEL member, Malone, is No. 19. Just for kicks, add a visit from No. 12 St. Ambrose.
This season ODU and Malone travel to USF, so the Cougars do have home field advantage. But as ODU learned in the 2007 NAIA FCS in a 48-34 loss to Missouri Valley at ODU, nothing can be taken for granted.

Newcomers
  USF welcomes another talented class of transfers and freshmen to the Cougars football family including six members of Grange Insurance Indiana North-South All-Star Football Game. North All-Star team members included Wenstone Nash (DB / Muncie Southside H.S.), Cody Williamson (DB / New Prairie H.S.), Steve Zimmer (ILB / Hobart H.S.), and John Stepanian (OL / Lake Central H.S.). South All-Star team members included Derek Atwood (RB / Shelbyville H.S.) and Andrew Black (OL / Westfield H.S.).
  Nash had three receptions at wide receiver for 52 yards while Atwood had seven carries for seven yards in the game on July 18. Williamson had one tackle and a fumble recovery.
The Cougars have added three talented newcomers from Ohio including Northern Michigan University transfer Bo Frye and his freshman brother, Koby, both Memorial High School grads in St. Mary's, Ohio. A.J. Hohenbrink (Ottawa Glandorf H.S.) is the third addition after he earned Western Buckeye League Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2007.
  Frank Wolfe III brings exceptional speed to the Cougars offensive backfield, an Avon High School grad who attended Harper Community College in 2007. His senior year in fall 2006, Wolfe finished No. 10 in Indiana rushing with 156.1 yards per game and he scored 22 TDs on 255 carries.
  For more on the 2008 class, check out www.saintfranciscougars.com

MSFA 2008 Coaches Poll -- Mideast League

School (2007 record) 1st-Place Votes Points
1. Ohio Dominican (7-0, 12-1) 5 60
2. University of Saint Francis, Ind. (6-1, 11-2) 3 59
3. Saint Xavier (5-2, 10-3) 48
4. Malone (4-3, 8-4) 38
5. Walsh (2-5, 5-6) 31
6. Urbana (3-4, 6-5) 26
7. Marian (1-6, 1-9) 18
8. Taylor (0-7, 2-9) 8

NAIA Preview Top 10
(From Sporting News College Football '08)
1. Carroll (MT)
2. Ohio Dominican
3. University of Saint Francis (IN)
4. Sioux Falls (SD)
5. Morningside (IA)
6. Missouri Valley
7. Lindenwood (MO)
8. Bethel (TN)
9. St. Xavier (IL)
10. Friends (KN)

Victory Sports Network Top 10
1. Carroll College (Mont.)
2. Ohio Dominican
3. U-Sioux Falls (S.D.)
4. Missouri Valley
5. University of Saint Francis (IN)
6. Bethel (Tenn.)
7. Saint Xavier (Ill.)
8. Lindenwood (Mo.)
9. Morningside College (Iowa)
10. Black Hills State (S.D.)